Behind Amber Eyes
by Psychedelic Hurricane
Summary: When Vector started up Team Chaotix, he had no idea what sort of mess he was getting himself into. With the rambunctious Charmy and the silent Espio around, there's never a dull moment. However, Vector soon learns that the chameleon is keeping a dark secret from him. Will the crocodile ever uncover Espio's secret or will the chameleon always remain a mystery to him?
1. Chapter I

**Hello everyone! Some of you might remember this fanfiction from when I uploaded it on my other account. I deleted this story for personal reasons, but have decided to re-post it. :) This first chapter is told in Vector's POV and this story will basically revolve around the adventures of Team Chaotix. Please read and review! I'd love to hear your thoughts on this. :3  
**

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**Chapter I**

_~ Vector's POV ~  
_

Beep, beep, beep! The irritating blare of my alarm clock screeches in my ear from what seems like miles away even though I know that the stupid thing is only inches from my bed. More asleep than awake, I squeeze my eyes shut and try to block out the shrieking of my alarm clock. Sure, there's a reason why I set the alarm clock in the first place, but I decide to ignore it for as long as possible. Now what was I dreaming about again? Oh yeah, Miss Vanilla, a cream colored rabbit with big, brown eyes and a heart-warming smile. 'Course, I don't actually know Miss Vanilla personally. I just saw her in the park one day and couldn't stop staring at her. She left the park much too soon and before I could work up the nerve to talk to her.

Beep! The alarm clock's prattle continues on, ruining the image of Miss Vanilla that I have been creating in my head. Gritting my teeth together, I open one slitted eye and give the alarm clock a vicious glare as I eye it murderously from where I'm lying in my bed, preferring to sleep here all day than to actually getting up and working. A final shriek out of the alarm clock makes me want to throw the dumb thing across the room.

"Argh," I hiss, throwing the thin, light purple colored blanket off of myself and sitting up in the bed. "Shut up already!"

I grab the alarm clock, turn it off with unnecessary force, and slam it back down on the dusty nightstand, causing everything else on the nightstand to rattle from the force. Not happy to have been jerked out of my dream about Miss Vanilla, I fold my arms and make no move to get out of the bed.

'Course, I really do _have_ to get out of the bed sooner or later and procrastinating isn't gonna do me much good. See, I just moved out of my parent's house. Being twenty and all, I figured that it was about time that I leave home and start a life of my own. I dunno if my parents were happy to see me leave or not. I'd say that they were having mixed emotions when I left. On the one hand, I think that they're pretty glad to have me out of their hair. Er, crocodiles don't have hair, but ya get the point. On the other hand, my parents are convinced that I won't be able to make a living for myself. They gave me a bit of cash to get started on, but believe me, cash seems to disappear a lot faster than it comes in. That's why I need ta get a job.

A job doesn't sound all that exciting, but it's just one of those necessities, I guess. Without a job, I'll end up crawling back to my parents by the end of the week. There's no way that I'll be doin' that. I just left and I don't want to see the look on my father's face when I show up at his doorstep with my face lowered in shame. I heard him makin' a bet with my mother just before I left. He thought that I could last only three days on my own. Mother said that she thought I could last a week on my own at the most. Hmph, I'll show them a thing or two about how I can handle my own business!

I guess that in order to start up my own business, I'm actually gonna have to get out of bed. Sighing melodramatically, I swing myself out of the bed and land on the floor with a loud thud.

"Hey, keep it down up there!" a sharp voice yells from below the floor.

"Yeah, yeah," I mutter, rolling my eyes as I drag my feet across the dirty carpet.

The first thing I did after leaving home was find myself an apartment of my very own. The only apartment I can afford a room at is in the cheapest, dirtiest apartment in town. Cleanliness doesn't matter much to me though. I'm just glad to be livin' somewhere on my own away from my parents.

Living in an apartment isn't all fun and games though. You have to take the good with the bad. For example, there's the little matter of the neighbors. I have neighbors on my left and right and neighbors above my room and below my room. The neighbor below my room is a grouchy echidna who always tramps around with his arms crossed and a look on his face that makes you think that he's out for blood.

Not making an effort to be any quieter, I trudge to the mirror on the opposite side of my little apartment and glance in it sleepily. Today, I'm gonna go out and find myself a job. Knowing that nobody will hire me when I look half-asleep, I blink rapidly and give myself a toothy grin. My bright green scales shine in the mirror and even my teeth sparkle. Say, I don't look half bad.

More confident than I was two seconds ago, I yank my white gloves over my hands and pull a heavy gold chain around my neck. I adjust it to perfection and give myself another dashing grin in the mirror, wondering if it might catch the eye of someone like Miss Vanilla.

_Alright, idiot_, I tell myself. _You're never gonna catch the eye of someone like Miss Vanilla unless you get yerself a job!_

Cramming my feet into my large black shoes, I stomp across the room - mostly for the sake of annoying the echidna in the room below me - and then come to a sudden halt. I can't just go out lookin' for a job without any ideas of a job I might want to get. There are hundreds of thousands of jobs out there.

I cross the room and give myself an excuse to slouch in the chair behind the ancient-looking desk next to my bed. The wood is dull and chipped in places, making me wonder if a beaver stayed in this room before me. I tap my fingers on the desk and try to think of a job that might not be all that torturous. Nothing comes to mind. I stare blankly in front of myself and start thinking about Miss Vanilla again.

"Damn, not her _again_! Focus! Ya need to get yerself a job. Now how're you gonna do that?" I ask myself aloud, trying to force Miss Vanilla out of my head for the time being.

I spot my headphones lying on the table inches from me and instantly perk up. Grabbing them, I jam the headphones over my ears and crank up the volume of my music. Music always helps me concentrate. Who knows? It might help me come up with a job idea.

Two minutes later, a brilliant idea comes to me. Feeling as if a burned out light bulb has just lit up inside pf my head, I realize what I want to do for a job! It probably sounds dumb, but I've wanted to start my very own detective agency since I was just a little kid. My parents laughed at the idea and figured that it would go away, but as time went on, I never lost interest in the idea. Even today, the prospect of being a real detective who's sent on important missions makes a grin spread across my face.

Without a doubt in my mind, I decide that I'm gonna start my very own detective agency. This won't be easy, but I'm willin' to put some work into it. I really ought to make a list of things to do for myself so I can get this plan rolling.

Spying some paper and a pen nearby, I drag the piece of paper in front of me and hold the pen firmly in my fist. Step number one to creating a detective agency is finding some buddies to work with. I can't run a detective agency all on my own. That certainly won't work. So how am I going to find myself some fellow detectives?

I turn up my music's volume another few notches, hoping that it will help me come up with another great idea. Just like before, the music doesn't fail me and another brilliant idea comes to my mind. I'll put up a want ad and explain my situation, telling everyone how I'm in need of some fellow detectives.

Without delay, I start scrawling on the paper in front of me, writing down the important things for my want ad. By the time I get done with it, it ends up saying, "Wanted: Detectives for Vector's Detective Agency. Interested? Call 515-339-6575."

It's simple, but straight to the point. I'm not sure that I like the name "Vector's Detective Agency", but once I get myself a team, my teammates can help me come up with a better name for the group. Right now, I just need to worry about gettin' myself the team. Thais means that I need to go to town as soon as possible.

I scoot my chair away from my desk and cringe as it makes a loud screeching sound. I've gotta admit that I'm surprised when I don't hear more banging from the room below mine. My neighbor must be out if he's not yellin' at me to keep it down up here again.

I'm halfway toward the door when I'm forced to stop and retrace my steps back to my desk. I pick up my large wad of duct tap lying idly on the desk and then proceed back toward the door. You've gotta have tape if you want to hang something.

This time, I actually make it out the door and into the hallway of the apartment. The paint on the walls are chipped, everything is covered with a thick layer of dust, and even the windows are cracked. It doesn't bother me much though. I keep my headphones on and close my eyes as I bob my head up and down in time to the music, feeling elated about my detective agency. If all goes well, I could have this thing up and rolling by tomorrow evening!

I open my eyes again just in time to realize that I've almost walked smack into a wall. Oops. Sometimes it's a little too easy to get carried away when yer listening to music. Spotting the elevator to my right, I turn toward it and hit the down button. I wait impatiently until the elevator opens up in front of me. I stride inside it and knock my fist into the button that will bring me to the lobby. The elevator doors close silently and I start to descend downward.

Glancing around myself, I notice that there's a grouchy looking hedgehog standing on the opposite side of the elevator. He's sending my headphones a dirty look. The idiot must not like my music. Too bad for him. I wonder if the guy is related to my crabby echidna neighbor.

The elevator finally comes to a halt at the lobby and the hedgehog practically flies out of it. I can't help but chuckle to myself as I stride at my own leisurely pace out of the elevator and into the lobby. The lobby is very dim because apparently the owners of the place are too cheap to pay for lighting in here. Light or no light, I don't really care. I continue on my way out of the apartment door and am practically blinded when I step outside into the sunlight.

I throw an arm over my eyes and stand still for a moment, trying to get myself to adjust to the cloudless sunny day. The warm sun beats down on my back a little too hot for my taste. As a reptile, I need to keep my scales moist or else suffer from severe dehydration.

After my eyes have adjusted to the scorching glare of the sun, I remove my arm from in front of my face and start down the sidewalk purposefully, humming along to my music as I go. The streets are always busy at this time of day. Rabbits skip hand in hand across the street, hedgehogs chatter to one another in front of a gigantic grocery store, and a familiar blue hedgehog and a smiling fox can be seen from not too far away. Those two would be Sonic and Tails, a friendly two-some who I've seen around from time to time.

Catching sight of the local bulletin board where everyone hangs up their want ads, I stop directly in front of it and slam my want ad up on a blank space of the bulletin board. After pulling a few inches of tape off of the roll, I use my teeth to tear it off. After firmly taping my ad to the bulletin board, I step back to admire my handiwork, not noticin' that everyone else's ads are hung up by pins, not by duct tape.

"Hey there, Vector! How's it going?" the familiar voice of Sonic the hedgehog sounds nearby.

I turn and catch sight of him walking by with Tails. I wave and reply, "Not too bad! I'm startin' my own detective agency. Wassup on your end?"

"Not much. Uh oh..." Sonic suddenly groans, looking over his shoulder. I follow his gaze and catch sight of Amy Rose, the girl who purses Sonic left and right, coming toward us. Giving me a rueful smile, Sonic adds, "I've gotta run! See you later, Vector!"

I wave and laugh inwardly as Sonic and Tails sprint down the street away from Amy. As I look across the street again, my eyes suddenly fall onto someone very familiar. A cream-colored rabbit wearing a long dress is casually walking down the sidewalk opposite me with a pleasant smile on her face. It's Miss Vanilla!

I immediately stand up straight and force what I hope appears to be a charming smile onto my face. When Miss Vanilla doesn't look in my direction, I scan around, trying to find a way to get her to look over at me. Amy Rose is nearby, so I decide to use her as an excuse to try and get Miss Vanilla's attention.

"'Ello, Miss Rose!" I call out much too loudly. "Beautiful day, ain't it?"

Amy turns and gives me a strange look. Amy and I have never been on good terms. I dunno if I come off as intimidating to her or if she just doesn't like crocodiles. Either way, Amy ignores me and continues on her quest of catchin' up to Sonic. By the time I look back to Miss Vanilla, she's turned the corner and is out of sight.

Sighing, I turn glumly back toward my apartment, realizing that I've lost my chance of getting to talk to her. Oh well. I might see her around some other time. Besides, the most important thing right now is getting my detective agency started. Without money, I've got nothin' to offer Miss Vanilla.

Little do I know that I'm about to get wrapped up in a whole lot more than just a detective agency in the following weeks. Whether this is a good thing or a bad thing is yet to be seen.

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_Review please? :)  
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	2. Chapter II

**Regular sonic fan: Hey! *waves and hugs you* I missed you so much too! How have you been? It feels like it's been ages since we last spoke! And wow, this is your favorite fanfic? Really? Omg, that means so much to me! Thank you!  
**

**Guest: Ooo, it's your birthday? Happy birthday to you then! *throws confetti around* Eh, I started over because I had some trouble with my old account. I abandoned that one and got a new one. I'm glad that you still remember this story. :)**

**Guest: I'm so glad to hear that you're happy to see this story again! I never give up on stories. :P I just had to delete it and take a break from my previous account for personal reasons. This actually isn't a straight-up repost. I'm changing a few things here and there and am editing it some more. Maybe you'll give it a re-read? **

**Nova the hedgehog: Yup, I'm alive! I feel like a much different person than I was four months ago, but I think that it's all for the better. So you want me to change Bryce's death scene up a little, hm? Well, I'll see about that. Also, I'm so sorry, but I won't give away any hints about the shooting scene other than the fact that Vector prevents Espio from going through with it. Thanks for commenting!**

**andypandy123: Omg, hi! It feels like forever since we lasted talked! I missed you too. How have you been? Things have been difficult for me, I'll admit that. It got to the point where I had to call the police, but I'm at a better point in life now and I'm glad to be back on here posting stories again!**

**Guest: Hehe, I take it that you REALLY want me to update, huh? Well, here's your update! Hope you like it!**

**twilight: Thank you so much! I'm glad that you thought that the first chapter was creative. Let me know what you think of this second chapter!**

**Mysterious: Wow, you liked it that much? I'm blushing, haha. Here's your update so you don't die! Just out of curiosity, who's your favorite member of the Chaotix? :D**

**Manicpanicgirl: Yup, I'm re-posting the story! And...wow. You read this three times before I deleted it? That makes me feel so happy! Do you think that you'll read it this time around too? I changed a few things up here and there. Thank you so much for reviewing!**

**Fangirl-time: Thank you so much for the welcome back! *hugs you* I'm really glad to be back and I'm even more glad that you didn't forget about me or about this story! I promise to actually finish it this time. The whole thing is written out, it just needs posting. Thanks for commenting!**

**Toni the Mink: Hey there! I've really missed talking to you! How have you been? Thanks for the concern and for worrying about me. *hugs* Things got to a really bad point for a while there, but I think that things are finally starting to look up for me now. So you think that you'll re-read this? ^^ I'm changing a few things up and am attempting to do a better job editing it this time around, lol.**

**SurroundedInDarkness: Yup, I'm alive for better or for worse, haha. If I died, it would've been because of my parents, not because of a nuclear explosion, but anyway, I should be more active on here again now! Things have been difficult for me, I'll say that much. I got into a bunch of online trouble, went through some health shit, and resorted to calling the police, but hey, I'm finally doing better. How have you been? It's nice talking to you again!**

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**Chapter II**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

"I did it! I did it!" an exhilarated, high-pitched voice practically screams from right outside my bedroom door.

Flinching, I roll over in bed and cram my pillow over my head, hoping to muffle the voice coming from the other room. I've told Charmy Bee perhaps a hundred times not to play his video games before eight am. Does he ever listen to me? No. I know that he's just a kid, but enough is enough sometimes. If I let him, he would stay up and play video games all throughout the night.

As a chameleon, I suppose that it's a rather odd thing that I'm living with a six-year-old bee. After all, you'd expect me to live with my family or with other chameleons. I'm what you'd call the exception, the one who never quite fit in with the rest of the group. Truth be told, I've felt more at home living in this small, cozy house with Charmy than I did back when I was living with my grandmother, mother, and cousin six months ago. It feels as if so many things have changed since then. My world has been flipped right-side-up once more and not once have I looked back.

Don't get me wrong; I've always loved my mother and my grandmother even though grandmother constantly forgets my name and calls me Evan instead of Espio. Mother is a kind soul who has a warm heart and opens her arms to everyone. Grandmother is obviously forgetful, but besides for that, she's always been an essential part of the family. My father died when I was still in my egg. Mother used to tell me that he died working undercover for a detective agency. Ever since then, I've wanted to fight for what's right and continue my father's work.

My early years were pleasant enough. Mother raised me well for a single parent. She taught me the skills that every chameleon needs to know and she also taught me basic etiquette. I learned to be soft-spoken, calm, and how to be a leader. I'm known to be a little hotheaded at times, but that's only when things really upset me...like when Charmy plays his annoying games at two am in the morning.

I never made friends easily, but I did manage to get a job at a nearby cafe when I was just thirteen years of age. Mother worked part-time, but her salary wasn't enough to support herself, grandmother, and me. I don't like or dislike my work, but it does pay the bills. Life was never easy for the three of us, but we always managed to scrape by somehow. All of that changed when my aunt died though.

Chameleons tend to be very family-oriented creatures. We have lots of family reunions and get-togethers. Everyone knows each other from second cousins to great, great grandmothers. My cousin, Bryce, is exactly two years older than me. He's tall for a chameleon and towers about a foot above me. His scales are a shade of burgundy so dark that he appears black at first glance. As an adolescent, I always looked up to him and thought that he would be a good role model for me. Turns out that I was wrong. _Very_ wrong.

The first time that I really got to know Bryce was at my aunt's birthday party, two months before she died. Don't ask me why, but the party ended up being held at our house instead of at my aunt's home. The whole family was invited to the occasion. There were at least twenty chameleons crowded in our rather small home. Loud music was blaring from the radio, groups of chameleons were chatting, and others were gorging themselves on my mother's delectable cooking. Mother works at a bakery, and believe me, her work there has paid off to those of us who live with her.

I had been leaning up against the wall, minding my own business and tapping my foot absentmindedly to the music. I was never one to force myself into a group and preferred standing alone to yammering on and on like some of my aunts and uncles. It was then while I was standing by myself that I felt a hard gaze on me. Curious, I raised my eyes and flicked them in the direction of the heavy stare. When I saw that it was Bryce looking at me, my heart leaped and my chest swelled with pride. I felt proud to have his approval, to be the only one in the room that he appeared interested in.

Of course, I had never exactly spoken to Bryce before. All I knew was that he looked like a tough kind of guy, someone who always got his way and was someone to look up to. I soon learned that Bryce always does get his way. Anyway, I was too shy to approach him and stayed where I was, glancing over at the older chameleon from under my eyelids.

Looking back, I think that the reason I wanted Bryce's approval and friendship so much was because he was everything that I wasn't. I was younger than him, much shorter, and much more slender. My scales were a pink-purple shade, more feminine than masculine. Nobody had ever teased me about this before, but I still couldn't help but wish that I looked like Bryce instead of like me.

After a few more minutes of unabashed staring, Bryce made his way over to me. When he leaned down, I found myself in his shadow, his bright red eyes staring into my amber ones. A twisted smile flicked across his mouth as he murmured, "Say, are there any other rooms in this house? It's starting to get too crowded in here for my taste."

"There's my room. It's small, but empty," I replied in my calm, even voice.

"Perfect," Bryce breathed softly, his hand seizing my wrist in an iron grip. I could smell something a lot like alcohol on his breath as he added, "Which way is it?"

"See the door to your left? That's my room," I explained.

No sooner had the words left my lips than Bryce had started dragging me across the living room, through the chattering chameleons, and finally to my bedroom. He kicked the door open, pulled me inside, and slammed the door shut. I leaned against the bedpost and watched him curiously, never having spoken to my older cousin before today.

Bryce assessed me quickly, his eyes running over me as if I was something to purchase, not as a living creature. I started to feel a bit uneasy then, but told myself that I was just being paranoid and that I needed to relax. I should have followed my instincts, but I didn't.

Bryce crossed the room and got in my face, his hot breath on my neck and his red eyes a little too close to mine as he asserted, "You're small, but kinda cute. More girly than all of the other chameleons in the family. What's your name?"

"I'm not a girl," I commented, a warning tone in my voice as I crossed my arms over my chest and added, "It's Espio."

"Hm. That's kinda cute too. It fits you," Bryce said, taking another step closer to me, which in turn caused me to step backward. "How old are you, Espio?"

"Fourteen," I replied, my bad feeling suddenly intensifying as he took another step toward me.

"Perfect," Bryce whispered, a wicked glint in his eyes as he suddenly pushed me up against the wall. Without warning, his hands were all over me, exploring all of the parts of my body.

"What are you doing?" I gasped, giving him a look like he was a madman. To me, he was.

"Shut up. You'll like this," Bryce whispered back, his spittle landing on my face and his hot breath making me feel as if I was suffocating.

Before I could protest or say another word, Bryce practically attacked me. He backed me up against the bed and pushed me onto it before he fell on top of me, his body hot and heavy against mine. I could have cried out, but I chose not to. The music in the other room was too loud and the others were too distracted to know or care what was going on behind the closed door. I let Bryce take what he wanted from me and stayed deadly still on the bed even after Bryce had given me a final smirk and stepped out of the doorway.

Later that night, my mother came in to chastise me for not saying goodbye to my relatives. I took her scolding without a word and hung my head shamefully. I didn't feel like I could look anyone in the eye ever again. Mother left and to this day she still doesn't know what happened between Bryce and me. I was the one who meticulously washed the blood off of the sheets and kept the incident buried deep within me.

Things would have been bearable, but when my aunt died, Bryce went straight to my mother and asked her if he could stay with our family since he supposedly had no other place to go. Unsuspecting and kind, mother opened our home up to Bryce. She set up another bed in my room and told me that Bryce would be sharing the room with me. I tried to protest, but she told me to stop being selfish. Bryce moved in the next day, but he never used the bed that mother set up for him.

Days turned into weeks of an unending hellish nightmare for me. I spent longer and longer hours at work, doing everything possible to avoid Bryce. Unfortunately, I couldn't stay out for forever and eventually came home every night. Bryce was always waiting for me to return. He became the demon living inside my very own bedroom. I was his victim for everything and anything. I was always there for him whether he wanted to punch me or slam me against the mattress.

Mother started asking about the bruises that started showing up on my scales just after Bryce moved in with us, but I always told her that they were a result of my clumsiness. Mother never seemed to remember that I was anything _but _clumsy and she never made the connection between the angry purple marks on my body and Bryce.

Finally, I got to the point where I couldn't take it anymore. Late one night, I slipped into the living room, took just a bit of money, and left the house once and for all. I never looked back. I bought myself a small house that I could afford with the money that I was making from the cafe. Being on my own didn't make me any happier though. The bruises faded slowly, but the scars remained.

I was on my way to the grocery store two weeks later when I just so happened to run into Charmy Bee on my way across the street. In a bit of a hurry, I hadn't been watching where I was going and had practically slammed right on into him. I immediately apologized, murmuring, "I'm sorry. I'm usually not so careless."

"It's alright! I run into people all of the time," Charmy replied in a bubbly voice, not seeming to have minded our collision at all.

I nodded and started on my way down the street again. Charmy followed after me and asked curiously, "So where are you going in such a hurry?"

"Just to the grocery store. I have a few things to pick up. I'm out of ideas for dinner," I explained absentmindedly to the inquisitive bee, continuing my steady trek down the road.

"Cool!" Charmy exclaimed, still following me along. "What are you going to make for dinner?"

"Oh, I don't know. I'll probably bake a pizza," I replied.

"I_ love _pizza!" Charmy bubbled, grinning from ear to ear. "Can I help you shop?"

I hadn't minded Charmy tagging along behind me so far, but at his next question, I stopped and gave him a funny look. Listening to him chatter was one thing, but having a young bee following me around all day was quite another thing. Raising an eyebrow at him, I inquired, "Aren't your parents going to wonder where you are?"

"No. I haven't got any parents. I'm all on my own," Charmy shrugged.

It was one thing for me to be living alone at sixteen, but it was quite another thing for Charmy to be on his own at age six. I immediately gave him my permission to follow me around the grocery store. Charmy responded with an excited, "Oh boy!" and trailed me around excitedly for the next hour. I wasn't very good company, but Charmy didn't seem to mind. At the end of the grocery store trip, I invited Charmy to come to my modest home for supper. The bee immediately accepted, looking like he had been hoping all along to be invited to dinner.

All during supper, I found that I enjoyed Charmy's company. His little antics and constant babble kept me from slipping into darker parts of myself. I had always known that I wasn't exactly a typical parental figure, but I figured that living with me was better than living on his own. I invited Charmy to stay with me. Do you know what his answer was?

"YESSSSSSSSS!"

From then on, Charmy and I have lived together in this little house. Charmy visits his friends and plays his video games (yes, I spoiled him by buying him a gaming system that I'm starting to regret purchasing) while I work at the cafe during the day. At night, we regroup at our home and eat our supper and watch TV. Charmy always has a joke to share with me or wants to tell me about his day. Even though I get annoyed with Charmy probably ten times a day, I owe a lot to him. Looking after him has given me a purpose in my life. It's made me come to believe that I'm more than just a punching bag or a soulless body. Nowadays, I don't think that I could stand to be separated from Charmy.

Still though, I find that I long for something more in life. There's something missing that I need to find. Little do I know that I'll finally get the final piece of my soul back later today - the day that Charmy and I become involved in something called Team Chaotix.

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_Review please? :)  
_


	3. Chapter III

**Regular sonic fan: I'm glad that you've been good, but I'm sorry to hear that things have been complicated for you. *hugs* Is there anything that you want to talk about? And omg, yay, I'm so happy that this is your favorite fanfic! I'm actually having fun re-reading it as I'm editing it for a second time. Is that weird? Thanks for reviewing!  
**

**Paddy: Wow, this is your favorite story? Really? I feel so honored to hear that! Thank you so much! Hm, well, I was thinking about connecting the sequel to this story. What do you think about that idea? Thanks for reading this!**

**Guest: Aw, you get a nostalgic feeling reading this for a second time? I'm actually getting that same sort of feeling while I edit this for a second time. Is the story worth re-reading, I hope? Thanks so much for commenting. :)  
**

**FanfictionSoldier15: Yay, thanks so much! I'm so glad that you liked the first chapter of the story. Do you have any favorite Sonic characters?  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: I missed you so much too! *hugs you* How's everything been for you? I hope that this story is worth re-reading! I'm sort of changing a few things to mix it up a bit. ^^  
**

**andypandy123: Aw, thanks! It's great to hear that I was missed! I'm glad to hear that you've been doing well. I'm crossing my fingers that you did great on your GCSE's, but I'm sure that you did awesome. Great work on your saxophone exam! That must have been so exciting winning the awards with your school. :D I'm actually looking for a job right now. How's your job at the shop going? I'm really sorry about your sister and your friend though. At least nobody was killed, right? I try to look at the optimistic side of things (even if I'm a pessimist :P). And hey, no worries! I love chatting! I've been alright, I guess. I finally moved out of my parents' house, but doing things all on my own and trying to find a job is harder than I expected it to be. Also, eating disorder clinics backfire on you so bad. It was a stupid decision of my parents to send me to one imo. But hey, I shouldn't complain. Things are finally looking up for me now. Thanks for asking! About dA, I might make a new account later, but for now, I'll just be on here. :3  
**

**bearvalley3365: Of course I forgive you! No need to apologize at all! I'm just really happy that you're commenting now! Thanks a ton for praying for me and hoping that I'm getting my life back together. Things are going a bit better now. How have things been for you, my friend?  
**

**Mysterious: Yay, I'm so happy that you loved the chapter! *hugs you* Espio and Charmy are so cute, aren't they? ...My dad used to call Espio "carrot nose". Seriously, what the hell? :P Hope you keep reading this!  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: Aw, why thank you! I'm really glad to hear how much you like this story! Who is your favorite member of the Chaotix if you don't mind my asking? I'll see about reading your story sometime, but I just moved out of my parents' house and am having issues finding a job, so I may not get to it for a while. Thanks for commenting though!  
**

**Fangirl-time: I think that we're both feeling nostalgic then! *gives you another hug* No problem for the hug, I love giving them! Hm...would you like more fluff scenes in this story? I'll consider adding some more fluff scenes if you'd like that! :D  
**

**Mickfang27: It's okay - I understand completely about the reviews getting a bit shorter. I love any sorts of reviews short or long. Thanks so much for reading this story! I didn't know that you're a Sonic fan too! I looooove Vector, there's something kind of attractive about him, isn't there? And you also support VectorxEspio? Awesome! :D When I posted this for the first time, nobody liked the pairing, haha. Thanks for reading!  
**

**SurroundedInDarkness: Oh my god, so you've gotten into Sonic? Yay! :D I love Sonic so much, haha. Who's your favorite Sonic character? Eh, to make a long story short, my parents tried to keep me under their guardianship despite the fact that I turned 18 at the beginning of the month, so I decided to take matters into my own hands. How's going cold turkey on the meds going? That must be hard. Have fun in New York! I have a friend that lives there and I've always wanted to go there actually. I haven't seen Planes yet, but I kind of want to. I'm still wondering why they didn't just make a Cars 3 instead though. Are you going to see it?  
**

* * *

**Chapter III**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

I'm almost able to drift back off to sleep when I hear another loud whoop from the room adjacent to my bedroom. Gritting my teeth together, I pull on the edges of my pillow so that it's placed even more firmly over my head. Unfortunately, my efforts to block myself from Charmy's excited screams don't do me much good since the bedroom door whips open a moment later and and none other than Charmy himself invades my privacy with a huge grin on his face.

"Guess what?" Charmy exclaims, flying over to my bed and hovering in the air only a few inches away from my pillow.

Seeing that I'm never going to get any rest with this buzzing bee flitting up and down by my ear, I toss the pillow off of my head and roll from my stomach to my back so I can face Charmy. Raising a sleepy eyebrow at him, I point out, "What did I say about not playing video games this early in the morning?"

"Oh. Sorry, Espio," Charmy apologizes, looking quite sincere despite the fact that he'll probably play his video game tomorrow morning again. "Guess what though? I just beat level nine on the 'Chaos Invasion' game! Can you believe it? It took me three whole days to complete that level!"

"Wow. Three days," I echo sarcastically, still blinking sleepily as I stretch my arms over my head.

"Yup, three whole days!" Charmy beams, not detecting my sarcasm and looking quite proud of himself for beating level nine on his game. Charmy buzzes over even closer to me and asks as if it should be an obvious thing, "So are you going to get up? You said that you would bring me to the park to play with Cream today."

Cream is a young, brown-eyed rabbit Charmy's exact age. I'm not exactly sure how they became friends, but I do know that they're the very best of friends and that Charmy spends most of his free time with her. I'm curious to see how things will play out between them when they get older. Perhaps Cream will become Charmy's girlfriend. Who knows?

Suddenly remembering something, I frown and reply, "I can't bring you to the park today, Charmy. I have to go to work. Can't you go to the park by yourself? It's not so far away."

"Uh, look at the calender, genius," Charmy states, pointing to the calender hanging to the left of my bed. Suppressing a yawn, I twist myself under the sheets so I can peer up at the wall. I locate the date and notice that it's Sunday, my only day off from work. Charmy continues on, "You work too hard! All you ever think about is work and now you're starting to forget what day of the week it is!"

"Working at the cafe is the only way that I can make money to support myself and you as well," I point out, finally forcing myself to sit up in bed. "Unless you want to live out on the streets, I wouldn't complain about my work if I were you."

"Okay, okay, I didn't think that you'd get so offended," Charmy rolls his eyes at me as he continues hovering in the air, clearly waiting me to get up.

Sighing, I roll out of bed and land nimbly on the floor. I ease my white gloves with the large black cuffs on them over my hands, but not before Charmy notices the mangled flesh around my wrists. He stares at the skin there in distaste and curiosity. I give him no explanation of why the skin there is scarred and instead slide my feet into my violet shoes with the black straps on them. After taking a few quick steps toward the bedroom door, I push it open and call to Charmy, "I thought that you were in a hurry."

"Oh, right. I _am_ in a hurry," Charmy replies although he seems to have lost his energy from earlier as he flies after me out of the door.

Our modest home isn't very large and has only three rooms inside of it. There's my bedroom, Charmy's slightly smaller bedroom, and then the parlor, which is split into the living room and the kitchen by a TV. Decorating has never been one of my talents and I lack the money to separate the rooms with anything other than the television at the moment. Perhaps someday I'll have enough money to do some refurnishing, but for now I'm satisfied with this home as long as it stays neat and clean.

I push open the door to the house and am greeted by a sunny fall day. Charmy flies out of the house behind me, but he is still lacking his normal vigor. His face is scrunched up and I can tell that he's thinking hard about something. It will only be a few minutes before whatever is bothering him comes spilling out. That's just the way it is with Charmy. He can never keep his feelings bottled up for long.

Surprisingly enough, Charmy manages to hold his tongue for an astonishing five minutes, probably a record for him, before he turns to me hesitantly and queries, "Espio, can I ask you something?"

"Yes," I sigh resignedly as I step briskly along the sidewalk, keeping my head down for the most part and sending suspicious glances out from under my eyelids at anyone who passes by too close to me. Turning my full attention to Charmy, I ask, "What is it?"

"Um, well..." Charmy starts out almost awkwardly before he asks all in a rush, "What happened to your wrists? I know that you wear those big cuffs only because you don't want anyone to see them."

A cold chill that has nothing to do with the sudden breeze runs down my spine. Sighing, I lie, "I accidentally burned them in a cooking incident. I've told you before that I'm the worst cook on the planet."

"I remember that," Charmy nods. "Are you okay though? The scars look like they hurt."

"They did," I admit, being truthful this time. "Now they're just memories though."

"Oh, okay. Just as long as they don't hurt anymore," Charmy says optimistically, returning to his cheery self.

I smile darkly inwardly, wishing that the marks had been from a burning incident and not from being pinned down on the bed night after night by my despicable cousin. I still remember the feeling of my hands turning numb after the nights when Bryce decided to handcuff me with a pair of cuffs that were far too tight and dug and tore into my flesh. They weren't the fuzzy type of handcuffs intended for lovemaking couples. Oh no, they were real, metal cuffs meant to bite into my skin and cause me pain along with everything else that Bryce inflicted upon me. Of course, Charmy will never know about this. I will fulfill the duty of being a proper parental figure to him. I'm going to keep Charmy protected from the evils of this world until he's ready to handle them.

I'm so lost in my thoughts, that I take a good ten steps forward without realizing that I've lost Charmy. Damn, where has that little bee gone off to now? I stop in my tracks and look swiftly from right to left. No Charmy. Wondering if maybe he's flown up ahead of me, I squint into the distance. Still no Charmy.

"Espio! You've gotta come see this!" a voice gushes from behind me.

Turning around, I see that Charmy is hovering in front of the bulletin board hung on the side of a large stone building. Charmy has a tendency to get sidetracked much too often. Tapping my foot and folding my arms, I point out, "I thought that you wanted to go to the park, not stare at the bulletin board all day."

"Well, duh," Charmy replies, still not moving as he waves his arm at me frantically, "But you should see this first!"

Figuring that Charmy is looking at an ad for a new video game, I sigh and reluctantly trudge back over to where Charmy is still looking eagerly at the bulletin board. I scan the board and see lots of random papers hung up all over it. Glancing at Charmy, I ask, "Just what is it that you wanted me to see?"

"This! Look at _this_!" Charmy flies to my right a few inches, jabbing a finger at a paper hung on the center of the board.

The first thing I notice about the paper is that it's been duct taped to the bulletin board. For some reason, this makes me want to laugh. Really, who duct tapes a paper to a bulletin board? Lip curling, I read the crude handwriting on the paper. It's a want ad that says "Wanted: Detectives for Vector's Detective Agency. Interested? Call 515-339-6575". I'll admit that the ad immediately sparks my interest. Ever since I was young, I wanted to be an undercover agent or spy. Becoming a detective sounds very appealing, but what about my stable job at the cafe? My life has finally gotten itself together. I don't really need more turmoil and stress right now.

Charmy, on the other hand, is too young to worry about things like stress. In fact, he's so elated that he's taken to buzzing in circles around my head, causing me to get dizzy just from watching him. Grinning from ear to ear, he points out, "Isn't this great? You've always said that you wanted to be a detective! Let's call the phone number!"

"I said that I wanted to be an undercover agent," I point out, trying to buy myself time to think this through.

Charmy gives me a puzzled look and asks, "Isn't that the same thing?"

"It's close enough, I suppose," I reply, still unsure of what to do at this point. I could take a risk, call the phone number, and pursue my dream job. However, all of that could end up backfiring on me and I could end up in a big mess without any sort of job at all.

"What are you waiting for then?" Charmy asks me impatiently. "Let's call the number and join the detective agency!"

"I don't know about this. I smell trouble," I point out suspiciously. Ever since my encounters with Bryce, I've been much more wary in general. Giving the piece of paper a closer look, I add, "Besides, who uses duct tape to post an ad to a bulletin board? Also, look at this handwriting. What do you see?"

Charmy squints at the writing, not noticing the messy, childlike scrawl. Shrugging, he guesses, "Words?"

"No. Look at the handwriting. It looks as if the letter have been written by a child. This could all just be a scam and if we call that number, we'll have fallen right into it. I won't be seen for a fool. Come on. Let's go to the park and visit Cream," I press, turning on my heel and starting back down the sidewalk again. To my chagrin, Charmy remains hovering in front of the ad.

"Aw, please call the number!" Charmy whines loudly, causing a few hedgehogs passing by on the opposite side of the road to turn faintly interested looks in our direction. Before I can tell Charmy to quiet down, he takes to pleading, "Please, please, _please_?"

Mainly because I don't want to be the cause of a commotion, I sigh and throw up my hands in defeat before replying, "Alright. I'll call the number, but if this is all just a joke..."

"It won't be a joke," Charmy cuts me off as he zips happily ahead of me back toward our house, murmuring, "Oh boy, I have got a really good feeling about this!"

_And I have a really bad feeling about this_, I think to myself as I start after Charmy.

Despite my suspicion about the detective agency, I can't deny that a little part of me is a bit excited. I am curious to see if just maybe this Vector is actually serious about running a detective agency. If so, I could get out of my eternally boring cafe job and do the things that I've always wanted to do.

"Do you think that three is too many members for a detective agency?" Charmy pipes up, cutting into my thoughts.

"Three?" I echo, unsure where he's getting this number from until I realize that he's counting himself as part of this unknown detective agency. Uh oh. This is where I draw the line. He's only six years old and I can't have him getting hurt. Giving Charmy a stern look, I shake my head and reply, "No, you're not going to be part of the agency and that's all there is to it."

Charmy comes to a halt right in front of the doorknob that leads to my humble house and folds his arms, taunting, "I won't let you in the door unless you let me join."

"You're being immature," I point out, in no hurry to get inside the house. "It's for your own good, you know. You're not an adult yet."

"Neither are you!" Charmy retorts in a saucy voice. "You're only sixteen."

"Yes, but that's still older than you," I reply evenly. "Now either let me in or else I won't make the call at all. I already have a steady job at the cafe and there's no need for me to trade it in."

Seeing that he's been beat, Charmy sighs and moves aside. I click the door open and step inside the house that I left only five minutes earlier. My memory is quite good and I easily remember the phone number scrawled in the barely legible handwriting across the paper advertising the detective agency. Still unsure if I'm making a very stupid decision or not, I cross the room to the telephone and hesitate for a moment before picking it up.

Turning to Charmy, I give him a wry look as I start punching the telephone number into the phone, pointing out, "Here goes nothing..."

* * *

_So how do you think Espio's phone call is going to go? Review please? :)  
_


	4. Chapter IV

**Regular sonic fan: Haha, I guess that we're both feeling a bit nostalgic then, huh? :P I'm glad that you're re-reading this! That makes me smile. And god, I know that exact feeling. There was one time when I fell for one of my best friends, but she didn't really want to get into a relationship so it made it a bit awkward for a while there. Have you had a nice summer otherwise? Thanks for commenting!  
**

**fangirl-time: I'll definitely try to add some more fluff to the story then! Charmy is pretty cute, isn't he? Little kids can be annoying, but who wouldn't like Charmy? Espio and Vector meet in this chapter! Hope you like it. :3**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hi there! Of course I remember you! *hugs* We used to talk all the time through reviews. Are you going to be reading this story for a second time? *looks hopeful* I'm so happy to hear that you think that it's the perfect Vecpio story! How have you been? I've missed talking to you!  
**

**FanfictionSoldier15: Oh yeah, Espio definitely has some hidden secrets. *nods* You know me, I love suspense. You like it too though, don't you? I've gotta admit that this fanfic is even more similar to Born to Please than I realized it was now that I think about it. I took off all of the stories on my old account because I was having problems with a stalker on there. x_x I sort of started over with this account. Thanks again for the compliments!  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Aw, I'm so glad that you'd like to re-read this story! *hugs you* Good thoughts about the phone call. I'd say that it will go so-so, lol. Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**andypandy123: I'm glad to hear that you're happy with life so far! Do you have long hours at the shop or is it like a part-time job? I'd really like to get a job at a bookstore or somewhere like that, but it's about impossible to find a job in Michigan right now. =/ And oh my god, that's awesome that you found a male harp player! Where did you meet him? ^^ I think that whenever someone forces you to do something, it makes you want to resist it even more if you know what I mean. Oh well, all of that crap is over with now. I'm working on becoming an optimist. :P And aw, thanks for understanding! You can always talk to me on here!  
**

**bearvalley3365: I'm glad to hear that things have been going well for you and your family! Do you enjoy going out to dinner with your father? It's nice to spend quality time with parents. :) And hm...that is a good thought about Espio's phone call! You'll get to hear how it goes in this chapter. Thank you for reading this!  
**

**Mysterious: Hehe, you can attack my dad if you want to, I don't mind. :P Nobody calls Espio names and gets away with it, right? But seriously, isn't it obvious that it's a horn on his head, not a carrot? *shakes head sadly* Glad you liked the chappie!  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: I love Espio too! *high fives you* What's not to love about cute little ninjas? I think that Vector is my favorite though although I'm not quite sure. Thanks so much for hoping that I find a job soon! Btw, are you a Manic fan judging by your username? I love him!  
**

**zgirl16: Oh my god, I've missed you so much! Hi! :D How have you been? It seems like it's been forever since we last talked. I'm so glad that you still like the story. :) Will you be re-reading it? *looks hopeful*  
**

**Mickfang27: Espio will call the number in this chapter! :D I agree with you there; trust is going to be a problem for Espio in any relationship. Do you think that he'll learn to trust Vector over time? Hm, you're making me want to see A Monster in Paris! It sounds like a good movie. Yay for agreeing with me about Vector being attractive. *high fives you* Crocs are sexy. :P My personal life is going alright, I guess. I'm still searching for a job, but at least I have wi-fi now, right? I'm glad that you like reading my updates before bed! I hope that they give you sweet dreams. :)  
**

**SurroundedInDarkness: It did suck! A lot. I'm laughing because the purpose of those clinics is to make you gain weight. Well, I went into the clinic at 84 pounds and now I'm at 71. :P Talk about "relapse". But hey, I'm happier now and I don't have to eat a damn thing all day if I don't want to. I feel sort of high when I don't eat. It's weird. But anyway, you sound like you're a lot better now that you're off of the meds. Am I right? Dads are stressful in general. I don't see why we have to have them. =/ When do you start school if you don't mind my asking? And oh my god, I love Phantom of the Opera! You'll have to tell me about it after you see it. Did you have a Sonic marathon? I'll watch Sonic X all day if I'm bored enough. xD I actually really like Cars. I wrote two Cars fanfics back in my early days. Dunno why, but I don't think that I'll like Planes as much as I like Cars. We'll have to compare our thoughts on it if we can both see it. And omg, you like Monsters Inc.? I LOVE that movie!  
**

* * *

**Chapter IV**

_~ Vector's POV ~  
_

After duct tapin' my detectives wanted ad smack in the middle of the bulletin board, I don't have much of a choice but to turn around and head right on back to my apartment. I'd rather browse through some of the stores around here, but I've learned before that shopping isn't such a good idea for someone like me. Last time I did a little browsing, my cash seemed to have mysteriously disappeared by the end of the day. This time, I'm gonna resist temptation and march back to my apartment and sit by the phone to wait for someone to call me about the detective agency.

Head held high and shoulders back, I swing my arms back and forth casually and find myself thinkin' about Miss Vanilla again. Just in case she's taken notice of me, I glance around furtively in either direction before throwing a look over my shoulder. No cream and tan colored rabbit is anywhere to be seen. Guess Miss Vanilla didn't notice me after all.

Feeling disappointed, I try to come up with a way to cheer myself up. Ah ha! Music should do the trick. Music is the cure for everything. Havin' a bad day? Turn on your favorite song! Is someone annoying prattling in yer ear? Then blast the tunes! Thinking about Miss Vanilla? Crank up the volume and lose yerself in the music!

I follow my own advice and immediately feel better only seconds later. Snapping my fingers in time to the beat and bobbing my head up and down rhythmically, I receive a lot of weird looks from the hedgehogs and echidnas passing by me on either side of the street. I grin, sending everyone a nice glimpse of my shiny white teeth. The hedgehog next to me visibly shudders and hurries past me. Guess he must be afraid that I eat hedgehogs. Idiot.

With the music pounding through my entire body, the short walk back to my apartment seems to pass by before you can say one-two-three. I kick the door leading to the dingy apartment building open with an energetic smash and barrel my way into the lobby. It's dark in there as usual, but I know my way around well enough ta know exactly where the elevators are and-

"_Mr. Vector!_" a voice screams from what seems like miles away over the blare of my music. "May I have a word?"

I come to a grudging halt, knowin' that this can't be good if someone from the apartment wants my attention. Turning suspicious eyes onto the neatly dressed female hedgehog with shoulder-length brown hair to my left, I ask, "Whaddya want?"

"Since it's your first time staying here with us, it's my duty to remind you that the payments for this month's rent are due tomorrow. Mr. Thomas, the landlord, expects his payments right on time," the irritating hedgehog says in a sharp, snappy voice.

"Argh. Is it really time fer bills already?" I grumble, scratching my forehead. I've been here for what - a few days? - and everyone is already insisting on bothering me about the rent! Sad thing is that I dunno how to scrape up the dough for next month's rent. It looks like I'd better get this detective agency cranking or else I'm gonna end up on the streets. Deciding to try out my charm on the female hedgehog, I suddenly send her a dashing smile and add, "Don't ya sometimes make exceptions for the new folk around here?"

The female hedgehog gives me an annoyed look and states, "No. The rent must be payed on time. There are no exceptions."

"Damn," I curse under my breath as the hedgehog flounces away, looking much too pleased with herself. Stupid bills. Ah well, I can worry 'bout those later. In the meantime, I've got work to do!

Deciding to forget about the bills for now, I turn to my music and try to flick up the volume to it a few more notches. Nothing happens. Annoyed, I jam the music player in front of my face and see that I'm already at maximum volume. Hm. I didn't think that my music was all that loud. Y'know, I do have a few bucks left. I could go back into town and see if I can find myself a louder music player...

_Nah_, I remind myself. _Ya can't do that right now. Get the bills paid first and then worry 'bout the music player!  
_  
Even though I'm tempted to turn around and march right back out of the door, I set my eyes on the elevator up ahead of myself and start resolutely toward it. I jam my finger into the button that will bring the elevator down to the lobby and wait impatient for it to arrive. When the elevator door finally opens, I mutter, "It's about time!", and then stomp inside of it before pressing the button that will drop me off at my level.

A few minutes later, I exit the elevator and step into the dirty hallway. As I start toward my apartment room, the scrumptious smell of freshly baked pizza wafts to my nose. I come to a halt and look around for the source of the deliciousness. There it is to my right! A pizza box is sitting right outside of the apartment room next to mine. Say, a few slices of pizza sound pretty good right now. I still have a few dollars. I could buy myself a pizza and devour the whole thing! After all, I have worked hard today goin' into town to hang up the wanted ad and all.

...Nah, I gotta save my money! What's more important to me? Pizza or Miss Vanilla? It takes a moment or two of thought, but I decide that Miss Vanilla rules over the pizza. Forcing myself away from the delectable aroma, I push open the door to my apartment room and kick it shut behind me before going straight to my bed. Flopping down on my creaky mattress, I close my eyes and focus on my music, completely oblivious to my echidna neighbor's cursing from the room beneath mine at the sound of my squeaky bed springs.

I relax my muscles and am just startin' to get into the beat of my music when the raucous shriek of the phone ringing sounds from next to me. It figures that just as I'm starting to get comfortable, someone feels the need to ring me! It's probably that hedgehog lady again wanting to pester me some more about the bills.

Yanking my headphones off, I grab the phone almost viciously and slam it against my ear, muttering, "Whatcha want?"

There's a very long silence on the other side of the phone. I'm starting to think that whoever called me must have hung up when I hear a slightly wary voice from the opposite end of the phone reply, "I am calling about the ad that I saw in town about a certain 'detective agency'. However, it appears as if I've dialed the wrong number."

I smack my forehead at the irony. This ain't some nasty landlord; this is someone who might want to join my agency! Immediately putting myself on my best behavior, I clear my throat and quickly cut in, "You've got the right number. This here's Vector, the one who posted the ad."

"I see," the even voice on the other side of the phone replies. "Are you still looking for agents?"

"'Course I am!" I exclaim. "I just hung the ad this mornin'. Are ya interested?"

There's another long silence from the opposite end of the phone and I wonder if whoever I'm talking to is having second thoughts. I cross the fingers of my free hand and wait as the voice finally says, "Yes. Has anyone else joined the agency so far?"

"Nope. It's just you and me," I say. "What's yer name?"

"Espio," the cool, collected voice replies. I can't tell from the sound of the voice just how old this Espio is or what species he might be. Espio continues on, "I was wondering if perhaps we could meet somewhere and talk this over in person?"

"Great idea! How 'bout we meet at the park fer an early supper? I've got some sandwiches ta bring. I'll meet ya there ASAP!" I tell Espio before slamming the phone down, this time from excitement. It doesn't occur to me that I have no idea how to find Espio in the park since I know nothin' about him besides for his name.

Wasting no time, I yank my headphones back over my ears and race across the room to the miniature refrigerator in the corner of the room. I made some sandwiches the other day with the few groceries that I bought. The sandwiches look squashed and there appears to be something green growing along the crust of the bread, but I don't take the time to inspect it. I've got much more important things to worry about.

I pause in front of the mirror for a moment to adjust the golden chain around my neck and then race toward the door. In too much of a hurry to wait for the elevator, I thunder down the stairs as fast as I can and explode into the lobby a few moments later. I don't pause to see if the nagging hedgehog from earlier is still around or not. Instead, I bolt out of the apartment and make my way to the park as quickly as possible. As I jog along, my heartbeat quickens as I realize that Miss Vanilla might be at the park! After all, I've seen her 'round there before. Who knows? I might just get lucky this afternoon and catch a glimpse or two of her.

Panting slightly, I reach the park and flop down under the shade of a tree with my squashed sandwiches in hand. After a quick look around, I see no sign of Miss Vanilla or Espio. Looks like I'm gonna have to wait. I wait patiently for about thirty seconds. All of that running was pretty hard work. I take a sideways glance at the sandwiches and decide to eat one while I wait. One sandwich turns into two and Espio still hasn't arrived. There are a few echidnas chatting under a nearby tree and there's a small rabbit running around, but nobody else can be seen.

Still ravenous, I start devouring another sandwich. I keep my eyes posted and notice two figures walking into the park. Actually, that's a lie. I only see one figure. I don't see the other one until much later. The fuchsia colored chameleon entering the park steps lightly through the grass, attentive amber eyes flicking left and right as if he's suspicious of everyone and everything. He's extremely slender and wears black cuffs around his wrists and ankles. There's somethin'..._powerful_ about this guy. He isn't exactly the definition of strength with his stick-like arms and legs, but I guess that it's just the hard, tough look in his eyes that catches my attention.

Only now do I notice a bee hovering in the air to the right of the chameleon. The two exchange a few words before the bee flies off and joins the rabbit runnin' around the park. I watch the chameleon lean up against a tree, jutting out his hip at an almost suggestive angle. Then again, that's probably just my vulgar mind gettin' the best of me. I eye the chameleon for a few more minutes before I remind myself that I'm supposed ta be watching for Espio.

Minutes pass and my future fellow detective has still not showed up. I eat another sandwich and close my eyes as I lean against the tree. Suddenly, a quiet voice cuts through the blare of my music and says, "Excuse me. I was wondering if you know a Vector? You see, I'm supposed to be meeting him here, but I don't know who he is."

I immediately hit the mute button on my music, a rare thing for me to do, as I open my eyes and find myself staring into the earnest face of the chameleon that I observed earlier. Frowning, I still don't make the connection and point out, "Well, ya don't need to search any further. I'm Vector."

"_You're_ Vector?" the chameleon replies in surprise, taking a step backward as he eyes me in shock. He tries to get over his surprise quickly though and stretches out a white gloved hand toward me, saying, "I'm Espio. It's a pleasure to meet you."

* * *

_Vector and Espio have officially met! How do you think they'll get along? Review please? :)  
_


	5. Chapter V

**Regular sonic fan: Yay, I'm glad that it made you smile to read the chapter again! I always try to make people smile with my stories when I can. Esp and Veccy get to talk more in this chapter! I know what you mean; sometimes it's better to keep things to ourselves even if it's hard. *hugs you* ...It doesn't sound like you're having all that nice of a summer. Why do you talk on the phone all day if you don't mind my asking? Yeah, things have been kind of difficult for me like you said. I ended up having to call the police in order to leave my house and I've had a lot of moving adjustments to get used to, but I'm better now. It's fun to be eighteen. I got my hair dyed and got ten piercings, haha. Thanks for asking!  
**

**PreyasRules: Hiya! Mm...I got back a while ago, but life has been just a lot of shit until about two weeks ago to be honest. That's why I didn't bother to upload this until now. But aw, you missed me? Really? *hugs you tightly* I missed you so much too! It feels nice to have been missed. I figured that everyone would just forget me. :( Of course I remember you! We used to talk all of the time *coughandhateonMissVanillacough* xD And omg, I'm your favorite writer? I'm smiling so much right now!**

**fangirl-time: I think that it's impossible not to love Charmy! What do you think? I'm glad that you think that Vector's funny. He's quite enthusiastic, isn't he? Here's the next chapter! :D**

**SurroundedInDarkness: I agree with you completely about it being the system's fault. I mean, how the hell do some of these people even get degrees, you know? I feel like doctors know NOTHING sometimes. *sticks tongue out at them* My depression is way better now, thanks for asking. How about you? And how tall am I? I'm just about 5'. I'm a real shortie, haha. And it's all good, we all forget to comment sometimes. xD**

**Guest: It's totally okay! No worries at all. You know me, I update fast when I can. Vector's enthusiasm is pretty funny, isn't it? It spreads to Charmy pretty fast in this chapter. xD Thank you for the comment!  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Oh my god, you're going to reread this? Awesome! I figured that it would be too boring to read for a second time, you know? That would be amazing if you get a record deal! When do you think that you'll finish the demo? I'm so happy that you liked the last chapter so much. Here's your update!  
**

**ven bracken: Yay, I'm glad that you're reading this story! I'll definitely continue with it! I take it that you're a Sonic fan? :)  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: That's a good point! Different personality types will definitely cause some conflict in the future between Veccy and Esp. Thanks for reviewing!  
**

**andypandy123: It's great to hear that you're enjoying your life so much right now. I wish that we could have all great days, you know? Aw, that's a shame that your new job will clash with school. When does school start back up for you again if you don't mind my asking? It seems like jobs are hard to find everywhere these days. I'll probably end up working at a gas station, but I'd prefer not to work at a place like that because those are the places where crime takes place around here. :S And yay! I'm so happy that you got to see a male harp player! *high fives you* Yeah, it is like peer pressure in a sense. I never did well with pressure. And lol, I feel the same way! I'm a pessimist, but I'm trying to become an optimist. Weird combo much? xP  
**

**bearvalley3365: You're very welcome for asking! Did you have fun last night then, I hope? :) I'm afraid that I don't know who Spencer is, sorry! I'm glad that you like this story so much though. You have no idea how great it is to hear kind words like that!  
**

**Mysterious: Wow, that torture set sounds pretty intense! xD I guess that everyone will learn not to mess with us, huh? Oh, I didn't know that Espio was in Sonic the Fighters! What gaming system is that for? I'm so happy that you liked the chapter!  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: That's so awesome that we both love Manic! Is he your overall favorite character? I wish that he was in more of the games too. I don't see why Manic and Scourge can't be in some of the new games. I take it that you're a Sonic Underground fan?  
**

**zgirl16: I'm very glad to be back! Thanks for missing me! *huggles* I sort of felt like nobody would even notice my absence, you know? And yay! I'm so happy that you're going to re-read this! I figured that it would be too boring to read for a second time. I'm so sorry that things got rough for you. Is there anything that you want to talk about? I'm always here to talk! It's good to hear that things are looking up for you though. We'll stay strong together, huh? :)  
**

**Mickfang27: I think that Espio is just jumpy in general, but he definitely wasn't expecting a charming croc, that's for sure! I love Vector's personality, don't you? I think that he'd be a lot of fun to hang out around. Espio and Vector have a lot of similarities and differences, which will make for a very interesting relationship between the two of them, you know? Hehe, I just noticed that a lot of my stories start with a "B". That's okay if you don't want to read Poisoned Apples. I've always loved Pirates of the Caribbean and I really like Barbossa, so yeah. Omg, Davy Jones is awesome though! *high fives you* I love his relationship with Calypso. I've always wanted to write a Davypso fic, but I never got around to it. No problem going off topic. I love talking Potc. Thanks for the comment regarding my job situation. I'm just keeping my head up and I'm super grateful to have wi-fi at least. Thanks for reading this!  
**

* * *

**Chapter V**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

To put it bluntly, Vector is not at all what I expected him to be. Never did the possibility that he might be a crocodile cross through my head! When I first arrived at the park with Charmy, my eyes passed right over the bright green crocodile without a second thought. Who would have known that this would turn out to be Vector? I'm not sure what exactly I expected Vector to be. Perhaps a hedgehog or a lizard? He has a gruff, powerful look to him with shiny eyes, firm muscles, and a heavy golden chain draped around his neck.

Vector's expression mirrors my own as he looks me up and down in surprise. He scrutinizes me unabashedly, his eyes traveling from my face all of the way down to my purple sneakers. My skin flushes slightly as I start to feel a little uncomfortable. I'm not used to having anyone look at me quite this closely.

After another long moment of observation, Vector takes my extended hand and shakes it rapidly up and down, practically tearing off my arm in the process as he says, "Well, Espio, it's nice meetin' ya. I didn't expect ya to be a chameleon."

"I see," I reply, feeling quite relieved when Vector finally stops attempting to rip my arm from its socket. Hoping that there isn't anything wrong with me being a chameleon in Vector's opinion, I motion toward the ground opposite Vector and ask, "May I sit here?"

"'Course ya can," Vector says as he waves at a squashed sandwich sitting next to him. "I brought some sandwiches...er, a sandwich. Want it? I sorta ate a few while I was waiting for yeh."

I glance over to the sandwich to find that something that looks suspiciously like green mold is growing along the edge of it. Trying not to look too disgusted, I shake my head and reply politely, "No thank you. I'm not hungry at this moment. You go ahead and eat it if you like."

"Don't mind if I do then," Vector replies, devouring the entire sandwich in two bites. I gulp, wondering just how much it takes to keep this crocodile fed. I'm not exactly afraid of him, but Vector's teeth do glint at me almost menacingly when the sunlight flickers over them.

"I saw your ad posted on the bulletin board," I comment, wanting to get straight to business. "Are you still thinking about starting a detective agency?"

"Yup," Vector nods casually, folding his arms behind his head as he leans up against the trunk of an old tree. "I've been plannin' this my whole life. I've wanted to be a detective ever since I was just a little croc. Figured it's about time for me to start pursuing my dream. What about yerself?"

Surprised that Vector has asked a question about my personal life, I stay quiet for a moment before replying, "Well, my father worked as an undercover agent. I've always wanted to follow in his footsteps. I want to fight evil."

"Fightin' evil, huh? It sounds like yer just the type that I've been lookin' for!" Vector exclaims, appearing more interested in me than he did a few minutes ago. He straightens up against the tree and goes on, "Whaddya say to starting a detective agency with me and pursuing your dream like ya always wanted to? I'll bet that your parents will be real proud of ya."

"Parent," I correct sharply, thinking of my father who died fighting for the good of everyone living in this town. "My father died while working for the greater good."

"Oh," Vector replies, looking a bit awkward. A morbid look crosses his face as he awkwardly tries to apologize, "I'm real sorry 'bout that. I didn't know."

"Yes, well, I don't think of it anymore," I reply, looking away. It just occurs to me that I've told Vector more about myself in five minutes than I've told anyone else about myself for a long time. Not even Charmy knows this much about me. Getting a bad gut feeling, I promise myself to stop throwing out personal information and stick directly to business matters. Frowning, I change the subject and point out, "I do have a steady job at a cafe right now. I'm not sure that I'm willing to give that up."

"Ya work at a cafe?" Vector asks, making a face. "That's boring business! As a detective, you'll have a lot more excitement in yer life. Don't ya want a little adventure?"

"Adventure?" I ask, Vector's words suddenly reminding me of something that Bryce said to me in the past. The park dissolves before my eyes and I'm abruptly plunged into a distant memory...

_ "Oh, c'mon, Espio! Think of it as an adventure. You know that you won't be able to resist me all night," Bryce, sitting on the bed - _my_ bed - leers at me._

_ The door to my bedroom is locked and Bryce has the key. I'm trapped in the room all alone with him. Utterly exhausted from a late shift at the cafe, I just want to lie down and pass out for the night. Of course, tonight is the night that Bryce has decided to get out all of his paraphernalia. There are the usual cuffs on the bed along with an assortment of other items including gags, whips, and sinister looking things that I've never seen before. I stand in the corner of the room with my arms crossed defiantly over my chest. I won't even give Bryce the satisfaction of a response. I hate him more than anyone that I've ever hated in my entire life._

_ "What are you gonna do? Stand there until dawn?" Bryce taunts me mockingly, a sadistic grin on his face. "Wouldn't you prefer just to get this over with?"_

I still refuse to answer Bryce, my eyes on the ceiling as I try to pretend that I'm somewhere else. Anywhere else is better than this hellhole that used to be my sanctuary. My bedroom, the place that should be the place that I go to rest and relax, is now a pit of terror and torture.

_ "Ugh, you are such a little pain sometimes," Bryce says, getting up slowly from the bed, his bright red eyes gleaming in the darkness._

I watch Bryce's movements carefully, wondering why he has his hands behind his back. I'm about to bolt when he suddenly launches himself at me. I try to tear away from him, but Bryce is much larger and stronger than me. We topple to the floor with me splayed awkwardly underneath him. I bite my lip to hold back a yelp of pain as my head smacks against the wooden floor. Before I can see what's happening, Bryce's hands are fastening something tight around my throat. My air supply is quickly cut in half and I can barely breathe. Looking down, I see that I've been collared and that Bryce is smirking down at me with the leather leash in his hands.

_ "Better do what I want or that thing will choke you. Come on, slave," Bryce commands, practically dragging me to the bed by pulling on the leash. I choke, my eyes filling with tears which I defiantly push back. I won't give Bryce the satisfaction of seeing how much he's humiliating me. I won't!_

"Uh, Espio?" a voice from what seems like miles away jerks me back to the present. I blink and find myself in the park, looking at a crocodile who appears to be a little unnerved. He gives me a wary look and asks, "You okay over there? Ya kinda spaced out for a few minutes."

"I'm sorry," I apologize in an even voice, trying to shake my memories of Bryce to the very back of my head. "I'm fine, but thank you for the concern."

"Mm," Vector replies, still giving me a bit of a confused look before he suddenly grins toothily at me and asks, "So how 'bout it? Wanna work for my detective agency?"

For some reason, hearing Bryce's taunting in the back of my head has made me resolute. Turning to Vector, I nod in determination and state, "Yes. Evil must be fought. I will do whatever I can to help."

Just then, a blur of yellow and black comes hurtling through the air straight toward Vector. I can see the collision even before it happens. Unfortunately, there's not enough time for me to do anything about it. Even with ninja fast reflexes, all I can do is wince as Charmy tumbles through the air and crashes straight into Vector.

"Argh!" Vector exclaims, toppling over backward as Charmy thuds into him and lands on his chest.

"Charmy!" I exclaim, giving him a stern look. "You have the whole park to yourself! Can't you at least give us a little space?"

"Sorry," Charmy replies sheepishly, finally getting off of a disgruntled Vector. He hovers next to me, his embarrassment quickly changing to excitement as he looks at the crocodile opposite him and exclaims, "Hey, are you Vector? You know, the one starting a detective agency?"

"Yeah, that's me. Vector the croc," Vector replies, still a bit dazed.

"Oh boy, I can tell that you and Esp are going to make a great team!" Charmy exclaims, grinning from ear to ear. I notice a devious look cross his face and realize that he's up to no good as he gives Vector a syrupy smiley and asks, "Can I join the agency too, Vector? Can I? Please, please, _please_?"

Before I have a chance to cut in, Vector replies, "Sure, why not? Three heads are better than two. So how d'ya know Espio?"

Now it's my turn to blush, realizing that it must be rather strange to some people to hear that a sixteen-year-old chameleon lives on his own besides for the company of a six-year-old bee. Charmy, however, thinks nothing of it and says, "I live with Espio. We're like a family! Maybe you can be part of the family now too since we're all working together!"

My little blush turns into bright red embarrassment. Before Charmy can say anything else, I quickly cut in, "Vector, I don't think that it's such a good idea for Charmy to work for the agency. He's very young still."

"So?" Vector asks, nonplussed. "He looks like a ready volunteer. 'Sides, we need all of the help that we can get. Welcome to the team, Charmy!"

"Thanks, Vector!" Charmy bubbles, buzzing over to the crocodile and exchanging a high five with him. "This is going to be so much fun! I've always wanted to be part of something like this. Being a detective is going to be even more fun than playing my video games!"

I frown, knowing that it's too late to get Charmy out of this now. Ironically, I find myself wishing that he'd prefer his video games to playing detective. I'm not even sure why I accepted Vector's offer to take me on as a fellow detective. He seems much too relaxed and very unprofessional. Shaking my head just slightly, I mutter more to myself than to anyone else, "I've got a bad feeling about this..."

"Oy! Lighten up, will ya?" Vector asks, jabbing a finger at me from where he's lounging against the tree trunk. I instantly recoil slightly, giving him a suspicious look. Vector laughs and says, "Geez, yer a jumpy one. Guess your sharp reflexes will be good for the agency."

"Perhaps," I reply, already regretting my decision and wondering if it's too late to try and get out of this.

Vector suddenly looks a little uncomfortable and grabs a wad of grass in one hand as he says, "So I just got one question for ya. How do we start gettin' business?"

"Well, we have to publicize ourselves first, of course," I reply as if this is the most obvious thing in the world. Vector gives me a blank look, which in turn starts to get on my nerves. Wondering how slow this crocodile is, I add, "We won't get any calls unless people know that our agency exists."

"Yer right. Good idea," Vector nods, comprehension dawning on his face. "I can go duct tapin' some more signs around the town this afternoon!"

"Um, I don't think that will be necessary," I quickly cut in as Charmy somersaults in midair and practically goes crashing into me. I scoot a little to my right and suggest, "I can call and get us in the yellow pages. It also wouldn't hurt to create our own website."

"A website! Why didn't I think of that?" Vector muses. "I haven't got myself a computer though. What about yerself?"

"I do have a computer," I admit. I've had a small computer in my bedroom for quite some time now. I purposefully keep it in my bedroom to guard it from Charmy. The last thing that he needs is unlimited access to the web. "I can start on the website tonight."

"Aw, but it won't be fun if just you work on it!" Charmy complains loudly. "Vector should work on it too! We're a team!"

"The kid's right," Vector nods. "Can I drop by yer place tomorrow sometime to help with the website?"

I have a premonition that Vector will not be very helpful when it comes to website creating, but I don't know how to say this without insulting him. Sighing, I reply, "I suppose that you can stop by after five. That's when my shift at the cafe is over. Shall I expect you then?"

"'Course! I don't have anything better ta do," Vector nods.

"Well, it was a pleasure meeting you, Vector," I reply, getting nimbly to my feet and practically bumping heads with Charmy in the process. "I look forward to working with you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Say, I'm so excited about this detective agency business that I could give ya a hug!" Vector exclaims, also getting to his feet. I immediately stiffen and take a quick step backward from him. Charmy is the only one that I've had any physical contact with since I ran away from home. I'd like to keep it that way. Honestly, I wouldn't even have had any contact with Charmy if he hadn't insisted on a goodnight hug from me every night before bed. Seeing my reaction, Vector quickly adds, "Don't worry, I ain't gonna do that. By the way, can I call ya Esp? It just seems to come naturally to me."

"I suppose so," I reply before motioning for Charmy to follow me as I turn on my heel and start back in the direction of my little home. "Come on, Charmy. I think that we are going to need to rest up for tomorrow."

"Oh, okay," Charmy replies reluctantly as he turns over his shoulder and waves at our new team member, calling, "Bye Vector!"

"See ya, kid," Vector waves before adding. "Bye, Esp."

"Farewell," I reply a bit too stiffly, unsure how I'm feeling about this whole situation. Do I like Vector? Not particularly. Do I want to work for him? Definitely not. However, I do want to be a detective and some things are worth sacrificing in order to follow my dream. I can only hope that I'm not making the wrong decision.

* * *

_Hm, do you think that Espio is making the right decision? Review please? :)  
_


	6. Chapter VI

**Regular sonic fan: Vector can be super clueless at times, can't he? Esp and Vector definitely even each other out! *huggles again just because I can* I'm so sorry that your summer feels like it's been wasted. I sort of feel that way about the last few years of my life, you know? So are you looking forward to going back to school or...? Yeah, a lot went on over here. But hey, it's all good now. Thanks for reading!  
**

**Savvy0417: Hey! I remember you! :) Believe me, you couldn't stay rid of me and of this story for forever. I promise to post it until the end this time. Do you think that you'll be rereading it? *looks hopeful***

**Villains' Bad Girl: Hi! How are you? I'm back to torture Espio some more, lol. xD**

**LuluCalliope: Yeah, I got your reviews! Sorry that it took me a bit to reply. I don't usually update more than once a day because I spend most of the mornings job hunting and shit. How are you?**

**PreyasRules: Aw man, I'm sorry to hear that you had a shitty last couple of months too! It sounds like we've been in the same boat. Your fighting back approach seems to be working well though. Hehe, I wish that I had a teacher like Albert Einstein. He sounds cool. xD I dunno, I bet that it would be easy to forget about me. I'm just a random, whiny person in a world of millions. But hey, of course I missed you! *hugs tight* Ooo, I guess that Vanilla won't be making another appearance anytime again soon. *evil smirk* Yay, I'm glad that you love the chapter where Esp and Veccy first meet! So you'll be rereading this then? *looks hopeful* Hm, I dunno about the Chaotix X fic right now. To be quite honest, I want to write something with Scourge next. You know, for variety? But omg, you still have that VectorxVanilla pic in your head? That damn pic has scarred you for life! :P  
**

**fangirl-time: I agree with you that Espio made the right decision! It is definitely impossible to hate Charmy. *nods* His relationship with Espio is very sweet and there's no need to apologize! I think that your English is just fine and I really appreciate your reviews! *hugs you* Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**SurroundedInDarkness: God, I know, right? I hate school and I'm so glad that I graduated even though now I'm cursed with trying to find a job that's not at a McDonalds or at a gas station. *joins you with sticking my tongue out at the stupid school people* Ugh, school counselors...we don't need them! Have you been on a wrestling team before? You'll have to let me know how it goes! I'd probably break something if I tried wrestling. I broke my leg just from falling over, haha. And oh my god, I know that feeling. My mom will forever think that I'm trying to starve myself. I'd be happy at 65 pounds...I think. xP Psychiatry is stupid, I'm with you there. *nods*  
**

**Guest: Hehe, yeah, imagine what it would be like if Espio had refused Vector's offer! I'm glad that you like the flashbacks with Espio and Bryce. I had a lot of fun writing those. ...Um, I sound like a sadist, don't I? :P Oh well. xP Thanks for rereading this!  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: Yay, I was right about Manic being your favorite character. Awesome. :D Do you like shipping him with anyone? Just curious! My favorite character is Scourge as you might have guessed. Hehe, I just realized that we like the green guys. xD SEGA, start putting Manic and Scourge in more games!**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hiya! Thanks so much for saying that I don't need to worry about this story getting boring. That's something that I worry about a lot. You really think that this is one of the most suspenseful fics under the Sonic category? ^^ I wish you lots of luck with the demo! It sounds really awesome. Do you have a band then or...? God, sorry, I don't know much about making music. Thanks for hoping that I don't have to work at a gas station. There's a lot of crime at those places and I'd prefer not to work at a place like that, you know? Hope you like this chappie!  
**

**Twilight: I agree with you there; Bryce is definitely on the insane side. And haha, I think that Vector needs to try a bit harder to impress Espio. :P What do you think? Thanks for reading this!**

**ven bracken: Awesome! I'm glad to hear that you liked the previous chapter! :D Hm, my favorite Sonic character is probably Scourge! I like Vector the best out of the Chaotix members though. Who do you like best?  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: I agree with you there! And yay, you're fangirling already? *high fives you* Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**andypandy123: So true, it would be awesome if life could be great all of the time, but now I'm being a little too optimistic, I think. :P Mm, so you have about a month until school then. Are you looking forward to it or how are you feeling about it right now? It is good that you have a job; keep your chin up! Ugh, yeah, nobody wants to work at McDonalds around here either. I especially don't want to work at one because I'm a vegan and flipping burgers would sort of gross me out, you know? Glad to hear that I'm not the only one who bends under pressure. I guess that we all do that a bit. Thanks for letting me know that you'll be gone. I hope that you have a really fun time!  
**

**bearvalley3365: It's definitely hard to tell whether or not Espio has made the right decision yet. I guess that only time will tell, huh? Oh, I take it that Spencer is an OC? I only write about canon characters, sorry!  
**

**um: I agree with you there; Bryce is quite a disgusting character. He's the villain in this fic. Did you get past chapter 2?**

**Mysterious: Now I really wanna play the Sonic Gems Collection, especially since I happen to have a gamecube. Have you played it before? Glad to hear that you liked the chapter!  
**

**Stormyx: Aw, I'm so sorry that you got upset when I deleted this story the last time! I promise to keep it up and post it to the end this time. :) There's no need to envy me. I'm sure that you're a fantastic writer yourself! Never feel shy around me. I'm one of the most talkative people that you'll ever meet online although I'm a clam in real life, haha. May I ask who your favorite Chaotix character is? Thank you so much for the comments regarding my personal life. It's going a lot better now and I'm so happy to be back! Thanks for taking the time to comment!  
**

**zgirl16: Why thank you! I'm very glad to hear that you liked the chapter! I have several stories posted at the moment if you want to take a peek at any of the other ones. Have you been doing any writing lately? And yay, you'll be my staying strong together buddy! *hugs you* It's so good to be back!  
**

**Mickfang27: I'm with you; Espio should act sexy around Vector so Vector starts getting attracted to him. How long do you think that it will take before the attraction starts? You're right about their poor miscommunications skills. Those two have a lot to work on it seems. It is very fortunate that Espio doesn't have Stockholm's Syndrome. That would make his life a living hell. *shivers* Esp is a stubborn guy though, isn't he? Let's hope that his stubbornness ends up being a good thing. Thanks for reading!  
**

* * *

**Chapter VI**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

On the way back to our home, Charmy just can't keep quiet. He's positively elated that he's going to be part of the detective agency. It's too late for me to tell him that he can't be in it. Vector seems as if he's going to be a very bad influence on Charmy. I don't like his casual, laid back attitude and coarse manner of speech. Vector is everything that I'm not. He's loud; I'm quiet. He's huge; I'm tiny. He's easygoing; I'm a worrier. I want to be in a detective agency more than anything, but I don't think that I want to be in it with my opposite.

"Isn't Vector _great_?" Charmy bubbles from next to me, cutting right into my thoughts. The bee's eyes are sparkling and he does a somersault in the air from next to me.

"I suppose that he's alright," I reply, not exactly thrilled that Charmy is so taken with Vector. After all, he's only spoken a few words to the crocodile. I'm the one who looks after him and acts as a substitute parent for him. Even though my mind should not be going in this direction, I find myself wondering if Charmy might end up preferring Vector to me.

Charmy stops abruptly mid-somersault and sends me a curious look while he's still hanging upsi-down. Frowning, he asks, "Why don't you like him? He seems really nice!"

"You're only saying that because he decided to let you become part of the team," I reply evenly, wishing that Vector was here right now so I could send him a dirty look.

"Well, yeah, maybe you're right," Charmy admits with a giggle, causing me to roll my eyes as Charmy zips forward to catch up with my brisk stride. Continuing to chatter, Charmy goes on, "He does seem nice though! He smiles a lot, more than you smile anyway. I think that we're going to have a lot of fun designing our new website tomorrow!"

"Perhaps," I reply thoughtlessly, figuring that the website will end up a disaster unless I'm the one who ends up creating it. If Vector doesn't have a computer, there's no doubt in my mind that he won't know a thing about website designing. As for Charmy, I do not need him winding up on pornography websites. I make a mental note to bake cookies as a distraction for Charmy. Maybe I'll be able to distract him with the cookies while Vector and I work on the website.

"We're going to have to come up with a name for our team. All detectives agencies have to have a team name," Charmy points out before listing several other things that he thinks that our detective agency might need. I pretend to pay attention and just nod along absentmindedly until something catches the corner of my eye.

A tall, slender dark figure appears from around the corner of the sidewalk opposite to the one that Charmy and I are walking across. Bright red eyes meet my own and my heart stops beating for a moment. Immediately stiffening, I back against the building nearest me in alarm. Black scales and blood red eyes can only mean one thing. Bryce.

"Espio! Hello? Earth to Espio!" Charmy calls, suddenly in front of my face and giving me a strange look. "What's up? You look like you've seen a ghost!"

Blinking, I peer over Charmy's shoulder to get a better look at the sinister black figure. As I get a closer look, I realize that it's a black hedgehog, not a chameleon. My muscles immediately relax and I send Charmy a haphazard smile, replying, "Sorry. I thought that I recognized someone."

"Really?" Charmy asks with interest as we start back toward the house once more. "Who did you think that it was?"

"Just my cousin," I reply, seeing no reason to lie since Charmy doesn't know anything about my cousin or my family for that matter.

"I didn't know that you had a cousin," Charmy responds conversationally, confirming my earlier thought. "I don't know if I have cousins or not. I don't even know what happened to my parents. I guess that it must be nice to have a family though. Do you miss your cousin at all?"

"No," I state immediately, a sour smile crossing my lips at the question. I notice a sad look in Charmy's eyes and reach out and tug at the bee's wing to bring him down to my level. "Charmy, you're my family now. I know that you don't know your parents, but that doesn't mean that you don't have a family."

"Aw, thanks, Esp!" Charmy exclaims, immediately cheering up. "I bet that you're nicer than my parents would've been anyway, even if you don't let me stay up past ten pm playing video games."

"That's for your own good," I point out as the two of us reach the door to our cozy little home. I usher Charmy inside pf it and then shut the door carefully behind us before I lock the door. I always lock the door at night. There's not much crime in this area of town, but one can never be too careful and it's always better to be safe than sorry. Once the door is securely bolted, I turn to Charmy and state a bit sternly, "I believe that it's time for you to go to bed. We're going to have a busy day tomorrow."

"But it's only eight!" Charmy whines, pointing to the window and adding, "See? It's not even all that dark outside yet! How am I supposed to fall asleep when there's still light coming through my window? Can't I at least play my game for an hour?"

"Alright," I sigh, figuring that it is a little bit too early for Charmy to go to bed. "But do keep the volume down. I'll be working in the kitchen for a while and I'd prefer not to have video game music blaring in my ears for the next hour or so."

"Sure thing!" Charmy replies happily, immediately buzzing off to the couch where he left his game controllers lying around earlier.

I shake my head ruefully at Charmy's antics and then head straight to the kitchen. Putting my hands on my hips, I open the cabinet and peer inside of it. I'm not much of a cook. I usually just order pizza in for dinners or cook frozen meals for Charmy. Unfortunately, I have no pre-made cookie packages at the moment and will have to make them from scratch. Sighing, I grab the apron hanging on the nearby hook and tie it on before grabbing the flour and other ingredients that I'm going to need for the cookies.

You'd think that cookies would not be all that difficult to make. Unfortunately, this is not so. First, I have a hard time opening the vanilla. It takes me ten minutes of twisting and turning the cap before I get it open. Secondly, I accidentally knock the package of flour over and end up spilling white fluffiness all over the counter.

"Damn," I mutter before wiping the flour off of the counter and then reaching for the bag of sugar.

"OH MY GOSH!" Charmy suddenly exclaims from the living room.

Fearful that he's in danger, I waste no time in running into the parlor. Fixing my eyes on Charmy, I inquire, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah! I just beat the next level - the one that's supposed to be impossibly hard to beat!" Charmy yells before glancing over at me. Giggling, he adds, "Uh, Espio? Why are you wearing a dress?"

"It's not a dress, it's an apron," I reply curtly.

"Yeah, but it still looks like a dress," Charmy protests. "Only girls wear dresses."

"Well, I'm not a girl, and as I said before, this is an apron," I confirm before glancing up at the clock. It's nine pm, a very good time for Charmy to go to bed. Giving him a firm look, I add, "Alright, Charmy, I let you play your game for an extra hour. Now it's time for you to go to bed. You want to be rested for tomorrow."

Realizing that he shouldn't press his luck with me, Charmy sighs and says resignedly, "I guess that you're right. I'll go brush my teeth. By the way, you should take that dress off."

I roll my eyes as Charmy leaves the room and then return to my cookie dough. I dump sticky dollops of dough onto a cookie sheet and then push the cookie sheet into the searing hot oven. After setting the timer for the cookies, I clean up the kitchen as best as I can and then go to my bathroom to brush my teeth. I avoid looking at myself in the mirror as I run the toothbrush back and forth over my teeth. My eyes always seem to have a distant haunted look in them nowadays.

Suddenly, the door cracks open and Charmy comes in sheepishly before he points out, "You forgot to give me a hug goodnight."

Immediately, I set down tmy toothbrush and lean down to wrap slender arms around Charmy's warm little body. He hugs me tightly and buries his head against the crook of my neck as he murmurs in a muffled voice, "Goodnight, Esp! I love you."

"I love you too, Charmy. Now off to bed. It's getting late," I reply tenderly, releasing Charmy and turning back to my toothbrush. Just as I'm about to begin brushing my teeth again, the door to the bathroom pops back open. Raising an eyebrow, I ask, "What now?"

"It smells like something's burning..." Charmy admits.

Cringing, I realize that I've forgot about my cookies and race back into the kitchen. Sure enough, my timer is going off. In fact, it's probably been going off for the last ten minutes. I shut it off and then rescue my cookies from the heat of the oven. Unfortunately, the cookies are a bit on the brown side and have a burnt smell to them.

Charmy enters the kitchen a bit sleepily. When he sees the cookies, his eyes light up and he gushes, "Did you make cookies? Can I have one?"

"No, they're for tomorrow," I reply, opening a window in an attempt to rid the kitchen of the burnt smell.

"_Please_?" Charmy whines, giving me large puppy eyes.

"Fine. One cookie and then you are going straight to bed," I order, watching Charmy with an eagle eye as he takes one cookie and then flies off to his bedroom with a big grin on his face.

I watch him leave with an affectionate smile on my face and then turn and retreat to my own bedroom. It is rather early, but I have a feeling that I'm going to need my rest for tomorrow just as much as Charmy. I enter the bedroom and cross over to my full-sized bed with the pale blue comforter. Peeling the comforter back, I collapse onto the soft mattress and tuck my knees up to my chest. As I lean over to turn off the lamp on my nightstand, a flicker of light illuminates the faded scars on my thighs. I wince at the memories of them, wishing that I could wash away my past and the scars. Although some of the memories have faded and some of the marks have healed, some will remain with me for life.

Flicking off the lamp, I pull the comforter up to my neck and bury my head against the pillow, hoping that nightmares won't haunt my sleep tonight. Closing my eyes, I start thinking of tomorrow and about Vector. I fall asleep with an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, but enjoy a dream-free slumber.

The next morning, I get up bright and early to go to my job at the cafe. Charmy tells me that he's going to go to Cream's house and that he'll be back early in time for the meeting with Vector. I tell him not to rush, hoping that he'll lose track of time and stay at Cream's house longer than he means to. All during the day, I worry about the meeting. I don't know why I'm worried. It's just that I don't usually invite anyone other than Charmy into my home. Vector is still very much a stranger to me.

At the end of the day, I return to the house exhausted and fretful. Charmy is already inside the living room playing his video game. I decide not to ask him to stop, hoping that he'll continue to play it when Vector arrives. I don't have long to wait. Only two minutes later, a sharp knock can be heard from the doorway.

"It's Vector!" Charmy exclaims exuberantly, dumping his video game controllers onto the couch and zipping over to the front door.

I wait in the living room, leaning up against the couch as I wait for Charmy to let our guest in. He throws the door open and there stands a large crocodile with a pair of chunky black headphones on his ears and a shiny golden chain around his neck. He sends Charmy a toothy grin and says, "Hey Charmy! How's the youngest member of my detective agency doin'?"

"Great!" Charmy buzzes enthusiastically as he motions for Vector to follow him. "I'll take you to Espio's bedroom!"

Vector gives Charmy a quizzical look. I resist smacking my forehead with my palm. Needless to say, Charmy's last sentence didn't come out quite right. I cut in and smooth over his error, adding, "What Charmy means to say is that I keep the computer in my bedroom."

"Ah. Well then, let's go have a look at it!" Vector replies, striding after Charmy with his long arms swinging at his sides. "Ya comin', Esp?"

"Yes," I reply reluctantly, cringing as I notice all of the grime that Vector is tracking into the house with his dirty sneakers. It is going to be a_ very _long day.

* * *

_Uh oh, Espio's carpet is getting dirty! :P How do you think that the website creating will go? Review please? :)  
_


	7. Chapter VII

**Regular sonic fan: Charmy and Espio are pretty adorable together, aren't they? I love their bond. Espio is definitely like Charmy's mother in a sense. :P You're right about the guys having trouble with the website. xD Nothing is ever easy for the Chaotix. :P I understand how you feel about life right now and I'm really sorry about it. Is there anything that you wish that you were doing over the summer? I hope that your sophomore year goes well for you!  
**

**Fangirl-time: I'm so glad to hear that you liked the chapter! :D You're so right about Vector being a troublemaker! xD And yeah, a six-year-old bee won't be much help either, haha. Thanks for the compliment!**

**Mickfang27: Yeah, poor Espio almost did have a heart attack there, didn't he? The poor little guy needs a hug! Vector, go over and hug him! Haha, yeah, the way Charmy talked about Espio's bedroom was a bit funny. :P He's so innocent, isn't he? Hm, that a good question! I wonder if Vector is thinking about Espio too. I guess you'll find out in this chapter! I like your design for the website. Let's just say that Vector's and Espio's design ideas are very different! It is sad how mental scars take so long to heal. Maybe Vector can eventually heal Espio's wounds? Thanks for the review!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: Here and there for now. Anywhere is better than where I was staying, you know? As long as I have wi-fi access, I'm happy. xD  
**

**Toni the Mink: I'm really glad that you're enjoying this story all over again! So all of the Vecpio parts are your favorite bits? There will be lots more of those parts this time around. ^^ It's no problem about not reviewing for a few days. Did you have a nice weekend, I hope? And omg, I looooove Dimentio and Mimi. xD I'd love to cosplay as Mimi sometime. Speaking of which, I should post that Dimimi fanfic of mine. xD Thanks for reading this!**

**LuluCalliope: Can't really turn the PMing thing back on because I had stalker problems and I don't really use my email anymore, but we can always talk through reviews, right?  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: Yay, we're both fans of the green guys! :D Do you like Jet too? I also like him and Vector, of course. Now I'm trying to think of all of the green Sonic characters and I'm wondering if I'm missing anyone. I don't think that's such a weird idea. I actually like it. :) And I know, right? Vector should be more careful with his dirty shoes! Thanks for reading this!  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hey again! Yay, I'm so glad to hear that this is one of the best-paced stories in the Sonic section. Do you read a lot of Sonic fics then? And hey, there's absolutely nothing wrong with being a geek. I can understand how it would be nice to have your own band. Do you ever think about trying to form one? Thanks again for wishing me luck on finding a job. It's more complicated than I thought that it was going to be. Charmy is super innocent and cute, isn't he? Vector is...not innocent. xD Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Awesome! *high fives you* Fangirling is awesome! I agree that the website might have a few complications. Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**bearvalley3365: I'm really glad to hear that you're still enjoying this story! I really appreciate your reviews on it! Canon characters are Sonic characters that appeared in either the Sonic comics, shows, or games.  
**

**Mysterious: You have it? Lucky! I'm so jealous now! Is the game really good? Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

**Stormyx: You're more than welcome for posting the story up again! Thank you so much for reading it! Comments are what make me want to keep posting it. Haha, you think that Esp will have fun cleaning the carpet? I hate cleaning myself, but Espio is definitely what you call a neat freak. Thanks for the comment on how I keep everyone in character. That's always my goal with my stories. Never worry or hesitate to talk to me. I'm a friendly person, don't worry. :P I can see why you like Espio best! Vector is my favorite Chaotix member, but I like Espio almost as well. What do you like about Vector and Charmy? I'm definitely better now. *nods* I'm not going to college or a university although I probably should go to one to be quite honest. Right now, I'm just looking for a job (and am secretly hoping to become an author someday). How about you? ^^  
**

**zgirl16: Aw, thanks so much for saying that it's nice to have me back! I feel loved now. xD Ooo, you're going to read Poisoned Apples again? I would love that so much - thank you! Have you ever seen Monsters Inc. before? Those stories might be a bit hard to understand if you haven't seen the movie. I honestly haven't ever seen any anime before. Do you watch it? :)  
**

* * *

**Chapter VII**

_~ Vector's POV ~  
_

Espio's house is just the way that I imagined it ta be. It's small and cozy, but extremely neat and tidy. The floors are polished, the walls are spotless, and everything seems to be in its proper place besides for a video game controller sprawled across the comfy looking sofa in the middle of the living room. Charmy, Espio's little buddy, is practically jumpin' up and down jubilantly. I think that he's the most excited member of our team so far. His big grin even beats my own. Espio, on the other hand, isn't smiling. His arms are crossed over his chest and his slender body is leaning up against the sofa.

As Charmy leads me to the bedroom where the computer is located - odd place to keep a computer if ya ask me - I can feel Espio's sharp amber eyes on my back. It's almost as if he's eyin' me with disapproval like I'm invading his house or something. Yeah, I guess that I kind of am intruding, but he _did_ invite me here and we are supposed to be a team now. The poor guy probably just needs to relax a little bit. He seems so uptight and tense all of the time. Maybe I can find a way to turn that around.

"Here we are!" Charmy exclaims excitedly, pushing open the door to Espio's bedroom and flying inside of it with a euphoric expression on his face.

Still vaguely aware of Espio's ever vigilant gaze on my back, I tromp inside of the bedroom and glance around it. The walls are a soft shade of cream and there's a light blue blanket covering a full-sized bed. Like the rest of the house, everything in here is clean. Y'know, it's almost_ too_ clean in here. The room lacks the aspect of comfort. Everything is just so stiff and rigid and...Espio-like.

Espio brushes past me to the computer, sending a shiver down my spine for some strange reason. Feeling like I ought to say something or at least comment on the room, I point out randomly, "It's a nice bedroom that you've got here. It seems really...uh...clean."

"Thank you," Espio replies evenly, pulling out the stool sitting behind the computer desk. Perching on the edge of it, Espio turns on the power. As we wait for the computer to load, Charmy asks, "So Vector, do you think that we can see your house sometime since you've seen our house now?"

"Er..." I start out hesitantly, sending a wary look in Espio's direction. The neat freak chameleon will probably have a fit if he takes one step inside of the apartment that I'm currently livin' in. Shrugging my shoulders, I reply, "I guess so. I'm just living in an apartment fer now though. It's nothin' fancy."

"That's okay!" Charmy bubbles. "I've always thought that it would be fun to live in an apartment. They're sort of like hotels so it feels like you're on a vacation when you're staying in them."

"Heh, well, yer welcome to visit the apartment if you want," I reply, trying to please the youngest member of our group for now since this is our first meeting together and I want it to be a success.

The computer screen suddenly lights up and all three of us turn our gazes to the screen. Espio quickly starts up the internet and then glances over his shoulder at Charmy with an apprehensive look on his face. He suggests in a tentative voice, "Perhaps now would be a good time for those cookies. Would you like a snack, Charmy?"

"Would I ever!" Charmy exclaims, looking thrilled at the idea of cookies.

"Alright," Espio replies, standing up and stepping lightly across the bedroom floor to the door. His eyes flick over to me and he asks, "What about you, Vector?"

I just ate dinner about five minutes before I rushed over here, but in my opinion, there's always room for more food, especially when it comes to cookies. Nodding my head up and down vigorously, I reply, "'Course I want some cookies! Who doesn't like cookies?"

"Everyone likes cookies," Charmy chimes in, agreeing with me immediately. "These cookies are even better than usual because Espio made them himself for once! He usually just buys the frozen pre-made kind since he doesn't like cooking, but these cookies are made from scratch."

"They're better than usual only if you like burnt cookies," Espio points out with a wry smile in Charmy's direction. "I forgot about the timer for the cookies. Anyway, I'll go fetch some milk and cookies. Vector, you can start working on the website if you'd like. This should only take me a few minutes."

"Alright," I nod, plopping down on Espio's stool while cranking my music up a few notches so I feel more inspired to work on the website.

Charmy instantly starts hanging over my shoulder, prepared to watch my every move. As the fuchsia colored chameleon slips out of the room, I note that just a moment ago was the first time that I saw him smile since I entered the house. He's got a nice smile and I can tell just from lookin' at him that he's got a special bond with Charmy. It's too bad that he doesn't smile more often.

"What are you going to do?" Charmy interrupts my thoughts, clearly waiting impatiently for me to start working on the website.

I pause and look blankly at the computer screen, realizin' that I don't have any idea how to create a website. I don't want Charmy to know that though. He'll think that I'm incapable. Instead of telling him the truth, I wave him away from my shoulder and point out, "Well, I can't do anythin' with you hanging over my shoulder like that. It's too distracting!"

"Aw, you sound like Espio. He never wants me around when he's on the computer either," Charmy replies in disappointment although he does follow my wish and flies away from my shoulder.

With Charmy gone for the moment, I take a closer look at the internet homepage. As usual, there are the typical news articles plastered all over it. Somethin' at the top of the screen manages to catch my eye though. It's an ad that claims to win you your true love if you click the link. Hm. Maybe the link could give me some good advice for my situation with Vanilla. Glancing inconspicuously over my shoulder, I see that Charmy is still mindin' his own business. I'll just click the link real fast and see what happens...

The webpage before me immediately changes to a page full of hearts and dating advice. There are pictures of couples in love all over the screen, but I don't pay much attention to them. Instead, my eyes zone in on the words on the center of the page. They read, "Want to spice up your life and find the guy/girl of your dreams? Just enter your name and email address here to get started!"

Despite not having a computer of my own, I do have an email address. I immediately place my hands on the keyboard and start typin' my name into the blank box. Things can't get any worse between Vanilla and me since she doesn't even know who I am yet. I might as well give this a shot. There's nothing to lose.

"What are you doing?" a curious voice suddenly asks from directly over my shoulder. "Oh wow, look at that picture! Aren't those kissing hedgehogs both guys?"

"Charmy, don't give me a heart attack like that!" I exclaim, jumping slightly as Charmy's voice goes straight into my ear. I'm startin' to get jumpy like Espio! Glancing at the screen, I notice that Charmy's right. There are two guy hedgehogs kissing. I'm not really sure what to say to Charmy about it. He probably doesn't know anything about homosexual couples...

"Nice going," a cool, disdainful voice sounds from over our shoulders.

I turn my head and gulp, knowing that I'm in the doghouse now. Espio is standing behind me with his hands on his hips and with a disapproving look on his face. He jabs a finger at the webpage that I'm on and says, "This is _exactly_ why I don't want Charmy on the internet! He's only six. Now go eat your cookies. I put them on the bed. I'll handle the website."

Espio didn't exactly insult me or get really upset with me, but I feel a wave of guilt wash over me as I shamefully get up from the stool and start toward Espio's bed. I usually don't give a damn when people insult me, but fer some unknown reason, I really don't like makin' Espio upset.

Charmy stays over Espio's shoulder until he brings up a blank webpage, apparently finding the kissing hedgehogs to be of more interest than the cookies. Only when the hedgehogs disappear from the screen does Charmy fly over to the plate of cookies on the bed. He tries to cram one into his mouth and talk at the same time as he asks Espio, "Why were those two guys kissing?"

Espio lets out a loud sigh and shoots a dirty glance in my direction as he replies, "I'll explain it to you when you're older, Charmy. It's nothing you need to worry about."

"Aw!" Charmy complains through a mouthful of cookie. "Why do I never get to know about any of the good stuff until I'm older?"

"You'll grow up soon enough," Espio points out almost sadly as he starts typing away. I can't really see what he's doing on the computer, but I'm pretty sure that he's already made lots of progress on the website. Everything about Espio is speedy.

I turn my attention to the plate of cookies and notice that Espio is right; they are kinda on the brownish side. Just because they're burnt doesn't mean that they're gonna taste bad though. I grab the biggest cookie on the plate and pop the whole thing into my mouth. I chew for a moment before my eyes light up. The cookies are downright delicious! Despite being burnt, they're the most amazing things that I've ever tasted. No wonder Charmy likes it when Espio cooks so much.

"Say, Esp," I start out, trying to get the chameleon's attention. He doesn't turn around or acknowledge me. Instead, he just continues typing relentlessly away. Undeterred, I go on and say, "The kid's right. Yer cookies are the best! I've never had any this good before."

"You're too kind," Espio says a bit coldly. Apparently, he hasn't forgiven me for the dating site incident yet.

"That's not true! They really are the best," Charmy protests, grabbing three more cookies from the plate before trying to stuff them all into his mouth at one time.

As if he senses what Charmy is up to, Espio turns around and chastises, "If you eat that many cookies, you'll get a stomachache."

"Well, if you don't want me to eat so many of them, then you'd better come and get some for yourself!" Charmy mumbles, crumbs flying from his mouth as he tries to chew too much cookie at once.

Espio hesitates and then admits, "I suppose that I am a bit hungry. I might as well eat one cookie."

As Espio gets up from the stool, I immediately jerk up from where I'm sitting on the bed, wanting to make up for my last mistake to Espio by helping him out with the website. I hurry over to the stool and plop down on it again, saying, "I'll take this over fer now. Wow, Esp, you really do know a thing or two about makin' websites, don't ya?"

"I'm really not that good," Espio denies, his cheeks turning slightly pink as he plucks up a cookie from the plate. "You can work on the background pattern for the website if you'd like."

"Sure thing," I nod, willing to do whatever it takes to make Espio happy. He really has made a lot of progress. There's a webpage up and running with information about our detective agency on it. The text explains what we're all about and has our phone number on the center of the page. Now the page just needs to be decorated like Espio suggested. It's up to me to add some life to this boring page.

After scanning the page, I find a place that says "insert image here". That must be where I should put the link to a background image. Hm, what should I use fer a background image? A light bulb pops into my head as a brilliant idea comes to my mind. I search the image I'm lookin' for under another tab and copy and paste the link to the image into "insert image here" bar. The results aren't half bad if I do say so myself.

A few moments later, Espio finishes his cookie and daintily wipes his mouth with a napkin before he untucks his legs from underneath him and pads over to where I'm working on the website with Charmy right behind him. Frowning slightly, Espio glances at my webpage and asks dubiously, "What is that?"

"What's what? Oh, ya mean the background?" I ask, feeling proud of myself. Espio nods. "It's the snazziest background image that I could find! Who doesn't want to see a good lookin' croc smiling out at them?"

Espio looks at my website background with that same doubtful look on his face. I thought that using an attractive croc that looks a lot like me for a background image was a pretty darn good idea. Espio, on the other hand, must not think so because he waves me away from the stool and says, "I think that I ought to handle this too. You and Charmy can...can..."

Espio trails off as he tries to figure out something to say. Feeling a little indignant at this point, I cut in agitatedly, "Do what? Yer not lettin' me do anything!"

"You can come up with a team name for us," Espio quickly answers smoothly, saving himself from my wrath.

"Oh. I guess that we do need a team name," I agree. After thinking for a few moments, my mind stays blank. Nothin' comes to my mind. Giving the kid a sideways glance, I ask, "Can ya think of anything good, Charmy?"

"Hm, let's see," Charmy muses, his brow wrinkling as he thinks for a moment. Abruptly, his face lights up and he exclaims, "I've got it! What about Team Chaotix?"

I think about this for a moment before realizing that the name does have a nice ring to it. Even Espio turns around from the webpage, which now has a boring gray background to it, and admits, "That is actually a good possibility. I rather like it."

"Team Chaotix it is then!" I confirm, glad that Espio and I are agreeing on something for once.

"Whoopee!" Charmy yells, doing a somersault in midair. "We're Team Chaotix and friends forever!"

The smile on Espio's face suddenly fades and he sends a wary look in my direction. I try to send him a half-smile in return. We may be Team Chaotix, but we sure have a hellishly long road ahead of us if we ever want to be friends.

* * *

_Things aren't going so well for Espio and Vector. :P Do you think that the two will ever become friends? Review please! :) Also, I have a Mario story that I've been working on. It's not completed, so I wouldn't update it every single day, but I was still considering posting it. Would anyone be interested in reading it?  
_


	8. Chapter VIII

**Regular sonic fan: Vector totally got busted there, didn't he? :P He's not exactly the most inconspicuous of sorts if you know what I mean. xD Gotta love him anyway though! No problem! *hugs back* I can definitely understand how you'd want to hang out with your friend more. Do you live far away from her, is that why you haven't gotten to see her much this summer? And omg, I get lazy with writing too. *looks guilty* ...you have to get up at 3 am this year? That's like the time that I go to bed!  
**

**Savvy0417: Hiya! Thanks so much for re-reading my story! Hearing that you're going to re-read it makes me smile! Let's hope that they make it up to becoming friends. *crosses fingers* Cute icon, btw! I take it that you're a ShadowxAmy shipper?**

**Fangirl-time: Vector thinks that Espio overall is beautiful, haha. xD Those two are so cute together, aren't they? And yeah, I've been working on a Mario story for a while! Maybe I'll post it tomorrow! Are you a Mario fan?  
**

**Bluemist45: Wow, what an awesome compliment! Thank you so much! I always try really hard to keep everyone in character when I can. May I ask who your favorite Chaotix member is? Thank you for taking the time to review. :)**

**LusayLu182: This is one of the best stories that you've ever read? Really? I'm blushing so much over here right now. Thank you kindly! I take it that you're a fan of the Chaotix?**

**Guest: It's okay about not getting around to reviewing the last chapter. You were in the car all day? That doesn't sound so fun! I hate being in the car for longer than an hour. *shudders* Vector definitely has a way of getting on Espio's nerves, doesn't he? :P Let's hope that changes soon! Thanks for the comment on my Mario fic, btw, I might post it one of these days. Thanks for the review!**

**Mickfang27: The rainbow road analogy is a great one! I take it that you're a Mario fan? There do need to be more Vecpio fics out there, I agree. The pairing should have a better name, but I'm not sure what else to call it. That's okay about a short review. I hope that you slept well and got some good sleep!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: No need to worry about me anymore. I'm fine now. And honestly, I'm good where I'm at really.  
**

**Guest: That's so nice of you to say that you'd try reading my Mario story even though you don't know much about the Mario universe. *high fives you* Have you played any Mario games before out of curiosity? And yay! I'm so glad that you'll be re-reading this! Thank you!  
**

**LuluCalliope: Aw, I missed you too! *hugs* And yup, I didn't die just like I promised. I don't plan on dying anytime soon either. xP Oh wow, a lot has changed for you, huh? Tell me more about your boyfriend and the play! I think that it's awesome that you've fallen in love! ...I kind of like someone too, but I'm way too shy to say anything, so my lips are sealed for now, haha. And you're in school already? But it's only August! D:  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: Yay, another Jet fan! *high fives you* I actually like all of Team Babylon quite a bit. What do you think of that team? Ah, I forgot about Bean! I think that he's the only green character that I don't like all that much. What do you think about Bean? And it's a great idea! Once I considered turning the Chaotix into girls for a one-shot. :P Ideas are fun to play around with!  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hiya! Omg, I find that exact same thing whenever I try to read Sonic fics. A lot of them are about OCs. I guess that's fine, but I don't really like reading about OCs. How about you? That's a shame that you can't find anyone to start a band with. I hope that you can start one someday! What kind of music sound are you going for if you don't mind my asking? Omg, you're so right about this story being like a soap opera! I never thought about that before until you mentioned it. xD And hell yeah, Vector is a perv! I did have a nice day, thanks for asking! How was yours?  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: I think that you're right! And thank you, I think that I will post it on a day when I'm less busy. Your rough draft sounds amazing! No need to apologize. You know that I like Sonadow and would love to read it. :)  
**

**PreyasRules: Stop dying bloody internet! *shakes fist at it* that's exactly what my parents used to say whenever I was having internet problems! Why do parents not understand that we must have the internet? I'm so sorry that you're sick right now. It sucks being sick so much. Your teacher sounds so amazing though. I've never had a teacher that let me sleep through class before. Are you feeling any better today? I'm sending health vibes in your direction. And yay! *returns the ultimate huggle* I'm so glad that you'll be re-reading this! Yeah, I was too lazy to think of chapter titles, so I took the easy route this time around. *blushes* Thanks for saying that I'm not whiny! You're the best for saying that because we all know that I'm a whiny bitch deep inside. xP Gah, that evil picture must die! I'll have to write a bondage one-shot for you after this or something. Bad Veccy introducing Charmy to gay couples, but hey, it's not really such a bad thing! The pairing in the Mario fic is Dimimi...would you be interested in that at all? *waits for you to say wtf is Dimimi* xD Thanks for commenting!**

**bearvalley3365: Aw, well, it makes me so happy to hear that you're still enjoying the story! Sorry, but I don't know who Bark is.  
**

**Mysterious: Omg, imagine an R-rated Sonic game! *falls over giggling* The game sounds like fun though! I wish that the Vectorman game had to do with Vector though. I mean, it does have his name in it, you know? :P Hope you like this chapter!  
**

**Stormyx: I would probably drive everyone crazy if I was obsessed with cleaning as well. I'm definitely OCD, but cleaning is not one of my obsessions. My mom probably wishes that it was, haha. Oh god, there's nothing worse than an OOC fic, don't you think? I can never get through reading those. I love how Vector's personality is the opposite of Espio's personality as well! Do you ship those two or do you just like them as friends? Everyone definitely loves to hate Charmy. I think that he's pretty cute myself though. Thanks for wishing me luck regarding finding a job! What do you do when you work for your dad? I don't think that you should have to get a job if your older sister doesn't have one yet. And I'm with you there - Vector isn't a bad guy! A little clumsy and crass, but definitely not bad. Thanks for reviewing!  
**

**ven bracken: Vector is a goofball, isn't he? He makes me laugh! Out of the characters you listed, I really like Shadow, Vector, and Knuckles! Do you like any Sonic pairings? **

**zgirl16: Monsters Inc. is really cute, I agree! Who's your favorite character in it if you don't mind my asking? Oh! I've heard of Black Butler, but I haven't seen it. Everyone tells me that it's really good though. What's your opinion on it? Maybe I should start watching it?  
**

* * *

**Chapter VIII**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

I look around at the smiling faces surrounding me, feeling like the only one whose heart is sinking. Charmy is positively thrilled with the whole aspect of Team Chaotix and Vector's mood seems to mirror Charmy's. What about _my _current mood though? To put it lightly, I'm not so happy with Vector right now. He's been in my house for less than an hour and he's already introduced Charmy to gay couples on the internet! I knew Vector was a troublemaker from the moment that I laid eyes on the sloppy, ill-mannered crocodile.

"So how's that website comin'? Is it finished?" Vector asks me, reaching behind himself and grabbing another one of my burnt cookies from the plate. He pops the whole thing into his mouth and fixes me with a sharp stare. Obviously hoping that I'm not watching him, Charmy snags another cookie as well.

Looking behind myself at the website, I nod and reply, "Yes, it's finished. Come and take a look at it. It has our team name typed out at the top here and below it is the information about our team. It explains what we do, what our purpose is, and what our core values are. I've placed our phone number at the very bottom of the page."

Vector nods a bit blankly while Charmy asks what the two of them are clearly thinking, "What are core values exactly?"

"Well, core values are basically what we stand for," I explain as simply as I can. "Basically, we fight evil and stand up for what's right. Do you think that the website looks alright?"

"It's pretty good. It just looks a little...little..." Charmy trails off, tilting his head at the website as he tries to come up with a word to describe it.

"It looks a little plain," Vector finishes Charmy's sentence bluntly. Charmy nods while Vector scratches his head and asks, "Can't we have some other colored background besides fer gray? I still like my background of that good lookin' croc. Seeing a handsome face like that will attract people to our agency."

I resist face palming and look at Charmy for help. Unfortunately, Charmy seems to like Vector's idea. Am I really the only one who sees how absurd it is to use a background of a grinning crocodile on a business website? Apparently so. It looks like I'm the only voice of reason in this group of three.

"I've got it!" Charmy suddenly exclaims, flying straight up into the air in his excitement, nearly bumping his head on the ceiling. "Why don't we take a picture of the three of us to put on the website? We can put it right there in that blank space between the name of the team and your core value stuff, Espio. What do you guys think? Am I brilliant or what?"

I have to admit that Charmy's idea does have some potential. At least if we take a picture of the three of us and place it on the website it will actually have something to do with the agency. Still though, I find myself hesitating, unsure if I want my face on the internet for anyone and everyone to see.

Vector, however, makes the decision for me. He grins his toothy smile at Charmy and replies, "Great idea, kid. Ya got a camera somewhere, Esp?"

Before I can reply or come up with an excuse as to why I can't take a picture right now, Charmy flies to my dresser on the opposite side of the room and tugs the drawer open, causing me to flush slightly. I've forgotten exactly what's in that drawer, but I'm sure that there are things in there that I'd prefer for Charmy not to see. I'm proven right as Charmy starts rifling through my drawer and gets a funny look on his face. He holds up a bottle of pills and looks over at his shoulder, asking, "What are these for, Espio? You've got about five bottles of them in here."

My cheeks go from pink to tomato red. You'd think that I could have hidden my anti-depressants in a more inconspicuous place. I can feel Vector's intimidating stare on my face. Practically diving across the room, I grab the camera from out of the drawer and pluck the bottle of pills out of Charmy's grip, murmuring, "They're nothing. They're just...cold medicine pills. I tend to get sick quite a bit in the winter. Here's the camera. Who would like to take the picture?"

"You don't get sick in the winter very often. In fact, I don't even remember the last time that you were sick-" Charmy starts to say much to my embarrassment.

"Vector, would you like to take the picture?" I cut Charmy off, wondering if this day can get any more humiliating.

"Alright," Vector agrees, snagging the camera out of my palm. "Everyone stand close together and say pizza!"

I stand a little off to the side, not wanting to have to stand too close to Vector. Charmy hovers above our heads and Vector gives me an annoyed look. Shaking his head at me, he points out, "Yer practically standin' across the room from me, Esp. Yer gonna have to get a little closer if you even want to be in the picture."

Still blushing furiously, I start to stammer something about being claustrophobic, but Vector will have none of this. He reaches out and wraps an arm around my waist, practically sliding me across the floor over to him. Blinking in astonishment, my stomach knots at the sudden physical contact as Vector holds me close to him as if we've been best buddies for our whole lives. He gives the camera a snarky smile and then takes the picture. I'm so in shock from Vector's unwanted contact that all I can do is stand glued to the place where I'm standing on the floor even after Vector has released me and has moved away.

"D'ya know how to upload a picture onto the computer?" Vector asks me, looking at the computer as if it's a foreign piece of machinery.

Still frozen, I just stare at him while Charmy flies in front of me and waves a hand before my face, groaning, "Oh no, Espio's in la la land again!"

Jerking out of my paralysis, I say a bit stiffly, "No, I'm not, Charmy. And yes, I know how to upload a picture. Give me the camera."

Vector dumps the camera into my hands and stands back to watch while I working on uploading the picture to the computer with shaky hands. Vector has been the first person other than Charmy that I've had any physical contact with since the whole ordeal with my cousin. I was more than a little stunned that he had the nerve to grab me like he did! I have a feeling that Vector is one of those touchy-feely people, again the opposite of me.

As soon as I upload the picture onto the computer, it pops up in the center of the lit up screen. I frown immediately. Charmy is grinning in the back of the photo and is giving everyone a thumbs up sign. Vector has his arm around me and is smiling that devilish, sharp-toothed smile of his. I look caught off guard in the picture with wary eyes and slightly flushed cheeks. Turning away in embarrassment, I state, "I look awful. Perhaps we should redo the picture."

"Nah," Vector shakes his head immediately. "I look too good in this pic to risk not lookin' as good in the next pic. 'Sides, you don't look half bad. Ya look sort of cute blushin' like that."

Oh god, so my blush didn't escape Vector. Trying to keep my voice steady, I reply without looking at Vector, "I'll just take that as a compliment, shall I?"

"You can take it anyway ya want," Vector smirks, clearly having fun humiliating me.

"It looks like the website is finished now," I state, trying to change the subject. I quickly shut the computer down before Vector can come up with any more crazy suggestions for the website and suggest, "Perhaps we should call and get our name in the yellow pages now. After we've done that, we've done everything possible to get our detective agency started."

"Sounds like a plan," Vector nods in agreement before he turns to Charmy and asks, "Hey kid, whaddya think about callin' and gettin' our phone number in the yellow pages? I'd kinda like a word alone with Esp here for a moment."

"Sure thing, Vector!" Charmy says immediately, glad to be doing something useful for the detective agency. Looking like Christmas has come early for him, he flies out of the room without a look backward.

The very last thing that I want right now is to be trapped alone in a room with Vector. I don't think that he would ever hurt me, but my past experiences have taught me to be extremely cautious. One can never be too careful around strangers. The last time that I was in a bedroom with only one other person was when Bryce tempted me into showing him my room during my aunt's party. It turns out that all he wanted was to get between my legs.

I've taken precautions and I have a knife hidden underneath my pillow. I sleep with it there just in case. Sending Vector a wary look, I take a few steps backward so that I'm standing directly next to the bed and can whip the knife out from underneath the pillow if it becomes necessary.

Vector has his head tilted at me and there's a curious expression on his face as he looks at me closely. He takes one step forward, but there's no malice in his eyes. Looking almost uncomfortable, he shuffles to a halt and points out, "I noticed those bottles yeh have stored in that drawer over there..."

"Oh?" I reply, acting like I could care less what Vector thinks of me and my pills. "And your point is?"

"Well, with pills like that, yer either severely depressed or yer plannin' an overdose," Vector points out a-matter-of-factly. "So which one is it?"

I look at the ground, wishing that I could say that Vector is talking delusional. Unfortunately, he's not wrong in this circumstance. I _am_ severely depressed. Crossing defiant arms over my chest, I reply, "This is really none of your business. How dare you suggest that I'm thinking about an overdose?!"

"Alright, so yer not thinking about overdosing. Yer just depressed then," Vector states, giving me a careful look. I decide not to answer him and keep my eyes on the floor, pretending to be extremely interested in the carpet underneath my feet. Vector sighs and goes on, "What happen to ya, Esp? Somethin' obviously happened. The way ya flinch away from everyone and the way ya act like I'm poison ain't normal. Someone hurt yeh, didn't they?"

"N-no! Of course they most certainly did not!" I snap indignantly, meeting Vector's eyes defiantly. There is absolutely no way that Vector is getting any information out of me. What does he want to hear? That my very own cousin beat me and raped me night after night? Glaring at Vector's dubious expression, I add, "I just tend to be a bit high-strung."

"Hm," Vector replies suspiciously, clearly not buying my lie. "Look, I'm not tryin' to give you a hard time, but if we wanna be a team, we're gonna have to work together."

Vector does have a point. We're not going to get anywhere with Team Chaotix if I secretly despise him. I start to feel just a tiny bit bad for making him feel like he's poison to me. Nodding, I reply, "You're right. I'm sorry if I was a bit...cold earlier. I'm not used to working in groups."

"S'okay. I kinda figured that. I just want ya to know that I'd never hurt you or Charmy. Alright?" Vector says passionately, trying to get passed the hard mask of my face that hides my inner emotions. He offers his hand to me. "I want ya to be able to trust me, Esp. We're partners now."

Vector's right. Very slowly, I reach out and take his hand. Meeting his eyes, I decide, "I will trust you, Vector. Just don't betray me."

"Never," Vector says, shaking my hand up and down vehemently, almost dislodging my arm from its socket all over again. "Now let's go see how Charmy did with those yellow pages!"

Vector turns and strides out of the door with me trailing after him. As I rub my shoulder ruefully, I hope that I really can trust this unprofessional yet seemingly concerned crocodile. I've been betrayed too many times before in my life. Another betrayal will be the end of me.

* * *

_Hm...do you think that Espio can really trust Vector? Review please! :)  
_


	9. Chapter IX

**Regular sonic fan: Yay, I'm so glad to hear that you liked the chapter that much! Thank you! *hugs* Oh god, I'm the same way! If a stranger gets too close to me, I'm all "Don't touch me!" xD Ugh, mothers...I know how they can be! It's really a shame that you can't see your friend more. You'll see her more once school starts though, right? And wow, I don't know how you survive getting on the bus at 5 am. D: Do you have to go to bed really early or something? Thanks for reading!  
**

**Fangirl-time: Yup, my Mario story is definitely a romantic one. Everything that I write has romance in it, I think! I really love romance, don't you? Mario and Peach are cute together! Are they your favorite Mario characters? Thank you so much for loving the chapter! I hope that you love this one too. :)**

**PreyasRules: Oh my god, you're going to have the cough for another six to eight weeks? My god, that's a long time! I'm sending you get well vibes now! Sounds like you need them along with lots of hugs! *huggles* Feel better soon! I think that being sick gets to all of us eventually, so don't feel bad because of that. I love bondage and role-plays too. xD They're so smexy, especially when they're Vecpio, you know? *sudden scream* Yay, you know who Dimentio and Mimi are! I didn't think that you would, but thanks so much for saying that you'd give my fic a try, that is so nice of you! So you read part of Behind Closet Doors, huh? I'm so happy that you like it! Monsters Inc. yaoi is awesome, isn't it? Randall is my favorite character too! *high fives you* That fic is super long, so keep on reading it. ^^ D'awww, thanks for the belated birthday wishes! Being eighteen is awesome to put it lightly. I'm finally free to make my own decisions and I've done some fun stuff that I've always wanted to do like I dyed my hair dark red and got fourteen piercings, hehe. My mom would never have allowed me to do any of that. xD Esp was pretty self-centered in the last chappie, but we love him anyway. Omg, that is horrible about the Sonic X disc! Why the hell did it have to have a big crack in it? That is so unfair! I would've gone berserk when I saw that. D: Thanks so much for reading and I hope that you feel better soon!**

**Savvy0417: That's cool that you're a Shadamy shipper! Is it your OTP or...? I never saw that episode of Sonic X, but now I really want to see it! Do you watch Sonic X ever? I think that I've just seen the Chaotix episodes. xD I hope that Espio and Vector get along better soon too! Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Bluemist45: I love Espio too! He's also one of my favorite characters. What do you like about him? And I agree that Espio should be able to trust Vector! I hope that you keep reading this!  
**

**Guest: I'm glad that you like how Vector's a little more astute in this version! So are you liking this version better than the last one, I hope? :) I am changing some things, but Bryce is still going to find Espio through the family reunion thing. Thank you so much for reading this!  
**

**Toni the Mink: Hehe, I also think that Espio will warm up to Vector in time. Thanks for not spoiling. xD And aw, thanks so much for saying that you think that I'd make a good author! I've had an original mystery in mind for a while. What I really need to do is write it out and see if it's worth sending in. I tend to get really self-conscious about my stories, so it probably won't go anywhere, but it might still be worth a try, right?  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: Yup. I've learned to be a little more cautious about online stuff. And yeah...most people that I know are starting college then too!  
**

**Mickfang27: I'm glad to hear that you got a good night's rest and I'm with you on Vector! He is being very kind to Espio, isn't he? Aw, don't feel stupid, it's easy to get Sonic and Mario stuff mixed up. I do that all of the time. Rainbow Road is pretty hard though, yeah! Don't worry; you're definitely not the only paranoid one. I wait up really easily and probably should have some sort of defense weapon in my room just in case. I understand completely about school. I'll miss your reviews though. Good luck with it!**

**LuluCalliope: Wow, I guess that you've known him for quite some time then, huh? Did you meet him online or irl? I'm so glad that you're happy with him though. You deserve an awesome boyfriend! And ooo, that's exciting about your play. What's your play called if you don't mind my asking?  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: It is pretty funny how Bean is always blowing things up now that you mention it. I like his rivalry with Jet in the comics. Have you read all of the Sonic comics? I've just skimmed a few of them. And same, Jet is my favorite out of the Babylon Rogues. What's your favorite team out of Team Sonic, Dark, Rose, and Chaotix?  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hi! I feel the same way about OCs. I mean, I don't mind an OC written into a story with canon characters, but I don't just want to read about an OC if that makes any sense? Rap and hiphop are great! I can definitely see why you like them. I'm glad to hear that you had a great day! Is chorus your favorite class? I hope that Veccy and Espy trust each other soon too! *crosses fingers* My day was okay, but I didn't sleep too well because I just got more piercings and my ears kill, haha. Thanks for reading!  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: It's awesome talking to you again too! I really missed you. *hugs* I agree that Espio just needs some time to learn to trust Vector. I hope that you like this chapter!  
**

**Auzora Starling: Wow, you have that many questions, huh? I'll definitely be posting more chapters! Hopefully, this next chapter will answer some of your questions. Are you a fan of the Chaotix?  
**

**bearvalley3365: I take it that you don't like Vector very much. :P Am I right? I'll definitely look Bark the polar bear up. Oh god, I don't like Bean either! He is definitely annoying, I agree. Who is your least favorite Sonic character?  
**

**Mysterious: I haven't watched Good Luck Charlie before! How about you? I think that's awesome that Disney is putting a lesbian couple in it. True, they'll get a lot of shit for it, but I support homosexuality one hundred percent. Love is love no matter what form it's in if you ask me. What do you think? Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

**Stormyx: It is pretty difficult having OCD actually. It makes me very nervous and particular about things and it gives me very low self esteem. I'm extremely OCD about food and I guess that you could say that I'm anorexic, but as long as I eat just enough to keep myself alive, I see no issue with it. An entire OOC story is horrible! *joins you in crying* And OCs...god, I dislike them! I've never read a fic about an OC before and I don't plan to. I wanna read about Sonic characters if I'm on this site, not about random OCs, you know? I think that it's awesome that you ship Vecpio. *high fives you* I ship lots of Sonic pairings although Vecpio is my OTP. I could list them here if you'd like? :) Eh, that doesn't sound like such a fun job. I hope that you find something better in the future. Do you have any future plans? That's a shame about your sister. We all need some life goals if you ask me. Let's hope that Esp eventually sees that Vector is a real sweetie despite his tough guy look. And god, yes, I have claustrophobia too! I can't breathe when people get too close to me. *shivers* Thanks so much for reviewing!  
**

**ven bracken: I agree with you about Vector - he is trustworthy even if he has flaws. I guess that we all have flaws though, huh? I meant character x character pairing. ^^  
**

**zgirl16: Randall is my favorite character too! You have good taste, haha. *high fives you* I actually ship RandallxSulley. What do you think of that pairing? I'm definitely going to see if I can watch some episodes of Black Butler now! Have you written any stories for it? :)  
**

* * *

**Chapter IX  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

Vector and I step out into the living room where Charmy is hovering in midair with a grin on his face. I wince as I notice that Charmy's grin is directed at Vector, not at me. A sharp jolt of jealousy runs through me as I look between the two of them. I think of Charmy as my own child. It hurts to see that he's taken to Vector so quickly when Vector has done nothing but introduce him to homosexuality so far. Crossing my arms irritably, I keep my envious thoughts to myself and remind myself that I promised only moments earlier to try and give Vector a chance.

"Did ya get our phone number in the yellow pages, Charmy?" Vector asks in that casual, easygoing voice of his.

"Sure did, Vector!" Charmy replies back a vigorous nod. "We should start getting calls really soon! What kind of detective work do you think that we'll have to do first? Maybe we'll have to find someone who's been kidnapped or maybe we'll have to solve a murder mystery of some sort!"

"Yes, but hopefully not," I frown, thinking that Charmy is far too young to be exposed to the details of murder.

"Esp, what do I have to do to get ya to relax?" Vector asks, placing a heavy hand on my shoulder that immediately makes my whole body tense up. Seeing that he's affected me in a bad way, Vector immediately lets go of my shoulder and points out, "There hasn't been a murder here fer a good year and a half."

I nod slowly, not feeling much better. A spontaneous yawn suddenly slips out of my mouth. I send an inconspicuous glance at the clock and note that it's almost eight pm. Figuring that Vector has been here for long enough and that it's about time that he left, I send him an imploring look and say, "It's gotten rather late."

"Huh? It's only eight or so," Vector says blankly, not taking my hint. I narrow my eyes at him and tap my foot on the floor in annoyance. This time, Vector seems to take the hint. He blushes ever so slightly and says, "Oh. Well, kid, it looks like Esp thinks that it's about time that I left. I'll see ya tomorrow."

"Noooooo!" Charmy complains passionately, flying to the door and stopping directly in front of it so that Vector has no way out. Giving Vector a pleading look, Charmy begs, "Can't you stay a little bit later? Espio will at least let me stay up for at least another hour. We have more cookies and milk if you're still hungry. Besides, I really want to show you my video game."

Vector hesitates and looks from Charmy's sad face over to me. I don't change my expression and keep my arms folded. Not wanting to anger his new partner, Vector gives Charmy a sympathetic look and replies, "Sorry, Charmy, but I gotta get back to my apartment before it gets dark out. Don't wanna be wanderin' the streets at night."

"Hm," Charmy muses, unable to argue with Vector's logic. I've always taught him to stay off of the streets at night. In fact, I've taught him lots of safety rules. He should avoid going out of the house at night unless he's with an adult, he can only go to the park alone during the day if he's planning to meet a friend there, and he should never talk to strangers. Unfortunately, there are a lot of things that he still has to learn.

Suddenly, Charmy's face lights up and he snaps his fingers, saying, "I've got it!"

"Got what?" I ask apprehensively, getting a bad feeling about this just from the look on Charmy's face.

"I've got the perfect plan! Just wait until you hear it," Charmy gushes, flying up a foot in the air in his excitement. Vector and I wait in suspense for Charmy to spill his ideas, me with a bad gut feeling and Vector appearing slightly curious. Charmy continues, "Vector can stay the night! I've always wanted to have a sleepover!"

My heart starts hammering against my chest as I see Vector's sharp eyes light up at the idea. There is absolutely no way that I am letting this crocodile stay here overnight. Before Vector can say how he'd love to spend the night here, I interject, "I'm afraid that won't work. We only have two bedrooms. There's nowhere for Vector to stay."

"Why can't he just stay in your bedroom?" Charmy asks, seeing no problem with this. "Your bed is big enough for two. You let me sleep next to you that one night when I had a nightmare, remember?"

My whole body flushes and I feel heat rushing to my cheeks. Charmy is too young and innocent to realize what he's proposing, but he's certainly done a fine job embarrassing me today! Vector chuckles and asks, "How about it, Esp? Can I stay the night? Don't worry, I won't sleep in yer bed. I can just stay out here on the couch."

"No," I state flatly, earning myself a disappointed look from both Charmy and Vector. Figuring that I need some excuse as to why I want to get rid of Vector, I look around wildly and focus on the dirt that Vector tracked all over the floor. Grasping at this, I continue, "I need to clean the house. I'm sure that Vector won't want to stay here and listen to the vacuum. We don't want to be inconsiderate hosts, do we, Charmy?"

"I guess not. I think that the cleaning could wait until tomorrow though," Charmy grumbles. It only takes him a moment before he perks up again and asks, "So what time will we see you tomorrow, Vector?"

Vector decides to be considerate and says, "I dunno. What time works fer you two? I'm available all day long. Say, Esp, you're pretty red in the cheeks. Are ya alright?"

"Fine," I reply stiffly, still blushing from Charmy suggesting that Vector and I share a bed. I think for a few moments and realize that it looks like I'm going to have to quit my cafe job now that I've decided to become part of Team Chaotix. Tomorrow morning, I'll go in to the cafe early and resign. That shouldn't take too long. I should be free after ten 'o clock. In an almost reluctant voice, I reply, "I suppose that any time after ten would be just fine."

"Alright! I'll be here at ten 'o clock sharp then," Vector says, saluting me in a comical way. Charmy bursts out giggling and throws his arms around Vector's neck as the crocodile steps toward the door. Vector looks a little shocked, but awkwardly pats the happy little bee on the back.

"I'm so glad that you put up that ad about the detective agency," Charmy points out before letting Vector go. "We're going to be the best detective agency ever!"

Vector nods and then glances over at me from where I'm standing a few feet opposite him. I keep my arms crossed, but don't glare at him anymore. Vector offers his hand to me a bit awkwardly and says, "I'll see ya bright and early tomorrow. Keep in mind what I told yeh, Esp."

"Right," I reply, taking and then releasing Vector's hand as quickly as I can. I'm going to have a shoulder ache tomorrow at this rate. "Goodbye."

Finally, after what seems like forever, I finally manage to get the house Vector-free. Unfortunately, there are large, ugly dirt stains all across my perfectly white carpet that remind me of his presence. How dreadful! I stare at the stains morbidly and sigh, not wanting to clean tonight. I'm thoroughly exhausted.

"It's been a long day," I state, lifting wary eyes to Charmy. "Perhaps we can both just go to bed tonight without arguing?"

Charmy assesses my mood and seems to realize that tonight is not a night to press his luck with me. Nodding, he says, "Okay. We've got to get our rest so that we'll be prepared for our first mission tomorrow. I'll go brush my teeth and get ready for bed."

"Thank you," I tell Charmy gratefully, glad that we're not going to have to go through the usual arguments over bedtime.

Once Charmy flies off to his bedroom, I debate about what to do for the rest of the night. I'm far too tired to vacuum even though the grimy floor is practically begging to be cleaned. I could watch TV, but there's usually nothing on but sports. Sports have a tendency to put me straight to sleep. I might as well just go straight to bed like Charmy. I'm positive that I'll fall asleep right away. Turning, I step nimbly across the floor and disappear into my bedroom, closing the door quietly behind me.

Wincing, I notice that Vector has managed to track dirt onto the creamy white carpet in my bedroom. I smack my palm against my forehead and make a mental note to get up extremely early tomorrow so that I can clean the carpet and then go to the cafe before Vector arrives at my house. Falling into bed, I rub my sore shoulder before slipping under my blankets. I hope to fall asleep right away, but sleep has a way of evading me. My mind keeps racing with anxious thoughts about tomorrow. Maybe I ought to take some of my pills.

Sitting up in bed, I reach over to my drawer and fumble around inside of it with one hand as I search for a pill bottle in the dark. Eventually, my fingers fasten around something smooth and cylinder - definitely a pill bottle. After uncapping it, I place two pills on my tongue and then swallow them delicately before setting the bottle back into the drawer. I'm only supposed to take one pill, but I could certainly use two tonight considering all of the stress that I've been under.

I lay down and attempt to fall asleep once more. Again, I can't seem to make myself relax. A soft creak comes from the doorway and I open my eyes again, glancing at the open doorway to see Charmy hovering there sheepishly. He gives me a half-smile and whispers, "I can't sleep. Can I come in?"

"I suppose so. I can't sleep either," I admit, rolling to one side of the bed so that Charmy can crawl onto the opposite side of it.

Plop! I feel the mattress shift as Charmy flops down next to me and props himself up on his elbow so that he can sit facing me. Charmy looks into my face and asks earnestly, "Why don't you like Vector?"

I consider denying it for a few moments, but realize that it's probably not worth denying. Giving Charmy a rueful smile, I ask, "Is it_ that_ obvious?"

"Yeah," Charmy admits, sending me a curious look. "Why don't you like him? He's really nice!"

"He's a stranger to us. We barely know him. I'm just being cautious for now," I tell Charmy, hoping that he'll buy my little white lie. Actually, it's not really a lie. I am just being cautious because I don't trust anyone other than Charmy.

"What's there to be cautious of?" Charmy asks, puzzled. "What could he do to us? He's obviously not going to murder us while we sleep or anything!"

"Murder isn't the only crime out there," I reply a bit sadly. Taking advantage of the fact that I have Charmy's complete attention for the moment (this is a very rare thing considering the fact that he's usually entranced with his video games), I add, "Don't suggest Vector sleeping over here again and don't ask me about the pills in my drawers in front of him."

"Why not?" Charmy asks, seeing nothing wrong with either of those things.

"It's just...not a good idea," I reply, not feeling like explaining the whole thing to the little bee. Finally starting to get tired, I tell Charmy, "I think that I'm going to go to bed now. You can stay here if you'd like for tonight."

"Alright," Charmy says, burying his face in the pillow before he mumbles in a muffled voice, "Will you at least try to like Vector a little more? I want us to be a team."

"I'll try," I answer, deciding to really give it some effort tomorrow for Charmy's sake if for nothing else. "I promise to try."

I get no response and realize that Charmy has already fallen asleep. His soft snores can be heard from across the bed. Smiling to myself, I close my own eyes and fall asleep almost immediately. During the night, I dream of Bryce. He has me pinned down against the bed and advances toward me slowly, his eyes black pools of malice and his lips curved up in a diabolical smile. I avoid his vicious gaze and stare up at the ceiling, pretending to be anywhere but here on the bed about to be assaulted. Unfortunately, I can't help but wince as Bryce grabs my wrists and pins them above my head with an firm hand. His grip on my wrists is iron tight. I've long since learned not to struggle, but Bryce seems to think that he needs to force me into submission. I can feel his hot, heavy breath against my neck as Bryce straddles me with ease. I continue staring at the ceiling blankly as he tugs at my legs. I let them fall apart knowing that Bryce will get his way one way or the other by the end of the night. Closing my eyes, I wait for the sharp burst of pain to stab up inside of me. However, after a few long moments of feeling nothing, I crack an eye open. A large green shape with flaming eyes tears Bryce off of me and sends him flying against the wall. A concerned face stares into mine. ...Vector?

"Espio, _wake up_!" a distant voice calls to me from what seems like miles away.

The image of Vector dissolves from before my eyes as well as Bryce's dark form. Opening my heavy eyelids, I find myself face-to-face with Charmy. Bright sunlight is pouring in through the windows and I realize that I must have overslept. Damn. There's nothing worse than getting off to a late start in the morning.

"I was starting to think that you'd never wake up!" Charmy complains as he flies around my head while I stare around myself, a bit disoriented after my nightmare. "I told Cream that I would meet her at the park today, but I want to hang out with you and Vector instead. What should I do?"

"You need to meet Cream at the park if you already promised her that you would," I tell Charmy a bit stiffly. "You don't have to play with her all day, but it would be rude to just not show up."

"I guess that you're right," Charmy mumbles. "I'm going to go to the park now then. The sooner that I leave, the sooner that I can be back!"

"Alright," I reply sleepily as Charmy flies out of the bedroom as fast as lightning. It's not until after he's gone that I realize that this means that I'm going to be meeting with Vector all alone in a few hours. Just my luck.

* * *

_How do you think that Espio's meeting with Vector will go? Review please! :)  
_


	10. Chapter X

**Regular sonic fan: It is cute how much Charmy likes Vector! I sort of see Charmy as looking up to him as a fatherly figure. Do you see that too or is it just me being weird? :P D'aw, I'm so happy how much you like this story! *squeals* And same, it's so annoying when strangers hug or touch you! *shivers* I'm sorry that your friend doesn't go to the same high school as you. That must really suck. And wow, that's early! Do you stay up a lot later in the summer? Thanks for reading!  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: Say, I think that we both dropped off of the face of the earth for a little while there! Anyhow, it's nice to see you again and I'm glad that you found my new account! So how have you been? And I agree; late is always better than never!  
**

**andypandy123: Hi! It's good to have you back. :) I've been okay, have been feeling a little ill today, but that's pretty typical for me. How have you been? That's a good point; life would get boring if it was perfect all of the time, so I guess that we should be grateful for the ups and downs as weird as that sounds? I understand what you're saying there. September seems to be coming up quickly for some reason. And yeah, who wants to work at McDonalds? Any sort of job is better than no job though, true! Glad to hear that you had a nice time!  
**

**Savvy0417: You'll get to see how Espio and Vector get along in this chapter! That's awesome that you've seen some Sonic X episodes. Do you have a favorite one? I'll watch the ones that you mentioned along with Sonic Adventure 2 clips when I get some free time. Hm, maybe I should! I was thinking about writing ScourgexFiona or ScourgexManic next though, so we'll see. Do you like Scourge at all? Major Scourge fan over here!  
**

**Bluemist45: Good point there - I love everything about Espio! I'm glad to hear that you'll keep reading this! Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**Guest: Well, I'm glad to hear that you like both versions at least! I guess that it's good that I'm changing it up a bit just so it's not the exact same story to read over again, right? I'm glad that you like the way that I write Charmy! He's actually pretty fun to write. And poor Espio with that dirt. He's such a neat freak, isn't he? xD Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**Toni the Mink: Thanks for the support! I actually spent a lot of time thinking about my mystery today and about how I want the first chapter to go. Might as well give it a shot! I'm feeling inspired now, haha. And thanks, you're really nice. It's probably a good thing that you've forgotten how this chapter goes so it's more exciting for you to read then, right? :D Thanks for the review!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: I hear you on the job thing. It seems like we're all looking for one these days.  
**

**Mickfang27: Hehe, it was a fast update, wasn't it? Oh well, fast updates are always better than slow updates, right? I'm really loving your predictions! Would you prefer for Vector to save the day or to have to go through the torture of watching Espio being raped? Good question about what the two will talk about when they're alone. Trust Charmy to burst in on an important conversation that they might have. Thanks for commenting!  
**

**LuluCalliope: Ah, I'm being surrounded by pony fans! *freaks out* So you got Alicia into it too, huh? Wow. Ponies are just not my thing, so Discord and everyone else is all yours. I get all of the Sonic guys though. *insert fangirl grin here* And okay, sounds good about the play!  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: Same here about the comics! I wish that I could read more of them. Hm...Team Chaotix is my favorite, I think! What do you like the most about Team Dark? I like Team Dark second best.  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hey! I can understand why you'd make exceptions for one-shots, that makes sense. Have you read any good ones? Chorus sounds like such an awesome class. :D Do you have it once a week or...? I'm totally with you on hiphop and rap! *high fives you* Heh, piercings are definitely worth the pain. I still want an eyebrow, nose, and lip piercing at some point. Bryce is like the devil. I tried to make him worse than Eggman. I always thought that Eggman was kind of...blah. What do you think of him? My day was alright. I went and bought an alarm clock. xD How was your day?  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: That's a great prediction! Vector seems like the nosy type who will ask lots of questions, don't you think? Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**LusayLu182: It's okay, I understand how school can be time consuming. Is it going well for you, I hope? I'm really glad that I graduated last year. I love Team Chaotix too! They're my favorite team. Who's your favorite Chaotix member?  
**

**InsertUnoriginalPenNameHere: Omg, you're back! *throws a party for you with lots of confetti* Yes, I was wondering where you disappeared to! I'm so sorry that things took a downward spin for you. *hugs tightly* Things are going better for you now though? I sure hope so and hope to hear more from you soon!**

**bearvalley3365: Amy can be kind of annoying, I agree. She's always pestering Sonic, isn't she? I think that Vector is a nice guy at heart, but that's just me. Good prediction about their meeting! You'll find out how it goes in this chapter. Unfortunately, I haven't seen Rise of the Guardians, so I can't give you an opinion on it. Sorry!  
**

**Mysterious: Oh, you have a good point there. Wikipedia seems to make things up a lot, doesn't it? Still, I hope that Disney goes through with it! *crosses fingers* Thanks for the review!  
**

**Stormyx: Thanks for hoping that I'm feeling okay. I get sick kind of a lot, which is hard to deal with, but I guess that you get used to it after a bit, you know? God, I know, it seems like some people are too lazy to even try to make their characters IC! I hate stories with just OCs and no canon characters so much. They should be deleted from this website if you ask me. What do you think? Alright then, get ready for a long list of pairings! I ship EspioxVector, JetxSonic, ScourgexFiona, ScourgexManic, ScourgexSonic, ManicxSonic, ShadowxMaria, ShadowxMephiles, JetxWave, KnucklesxRouge, and I believe that is it, but I might come up with more later, we shall see. :P Migrating to another country sounds nice! Do you travel often if you don't mind my asking? Espio, give Vector a chance already so you two can fall in love! And same, I don't like being hugged unless it's online, haha. Thanks for commenting!  
**

**ven bracken: Espio is a hard case, I agree. I wonder if Vector will ever get through to him. Those are interesting pairings! I take it that you like Big?  
**

**zgirl16: Aw, well, I'd be honored if you read my SulleyxRandall story! It's called Behind Closet Doors if you're interested. I definitely need to read your Black Butler stories after I watch the show! What do you like the most about Undertaker? He sounds like a pretty cool character! And thank you so much for liking this story, you're so nice. *hugs*  
**

* * *

**Chapter X  
**

_~ Vector's POV ~  
_

I stare into the mirror with and give myself a toothy grin. I just brushed my teeth and now it's time to go over to Espio's house for our first day of work as Team Chaotix. My teeth gleam in the mirror and my breath is minty fresh. I really don't think that I can look any better. Cranking up the volume to my music, I cross the room in two long strides and push the door to my apartment room open. Nothin' is going to ruin my first day working with my new team. Some poor fellow in need of our expertise is bound to give us a call today. Who knows? I could be rich by the end of the day!

Shifting from foot to foot, I wait for the elevator to reach my floor. As soon as the door opens, I practically fling myself inside of it, almost running over a disgruntled hedgehog in the process. He gives me an annoyed look and brings himself up to his full height. I grin sheepishly at him and mutter, "Sorry 'bout that."

The hedgehog doesn't respond and stalks out of the elevator. I pound my finger against the red button that will bring me to the lobby and then close the elevator door by pressing another button. As the elevator travels downward much too slowly for my taste, I think about my new team. Do I like my new team members? 'Course I do! What's not to like?

...Well, alright, so maybe we aren't a big, happy family yet, but all of that will come in time. Charmy seems to have accepted me already. In fact, he even wanted me to sleep over at his house last night. I chuckle to myself at the memory as the elevator comes to a halt and opens up. I whiz out of it and hurry across the lobby undetected. Ya never know when you might accidentally run into one of those annoyin' hedgehogs whose goal in life seems to be to pester you about the rent.

Stepping out into the bright sunlight, I tilt my head back and puff out my chest as I start down the sidewalk. There aren't too many people out at this time of day. I detect a few hedgehogs clustered in front of the grocery store, but that's it. I hope that Espio has gotten his cafe job sorted out. He can't walk out on me now.

Speakin' of Espio, I know that there's something not quite right about the fuchsia colored chameleon. He's far too jumpy and he's probably the most suspicious guy that I've ever met. It makes him a valuable player of Team Chaotix, but I can't even imagine what it would be like to spend yer days constantly keeping a vigilant eye out for danger the way that he does. I doubt that the chameleon has a single friend other than Charmy. I can tell that he's hiding somethin' from me although I'm not sure what it is yet. He's guarding a dark secret and I hope to get it out of him sooner rather than later.

Suddenly, I notice a familiar figure walking down the street directly toward me. My eyes widen in surprise as I see a gorgeous cream rabbit with beautiful brown eyes only a few meters away from me. I try not to stop and stare at Miss Vanilla, but my eyes seem to have other plans as they latch onto her face. Miss Vanilla glances up and meets my infatuated gaze. Instead of turnin' away from me, a small smile crosses her lips. It only takes me a second before I'm giving her my most devilish smile.

As I'm searching my brain for somethin' to say to her, Miss Vanilla trips over a rock placed right in the middle of the sidewalk. She gasps and lurches forward. I react instantaneously and reach out for her. Miss Vanilla topples against my chest instead of smacking against the hard concrete ground. My heart starts thudding against my chest as I feel her warm body against mine. She looks up at me with those alluring hazel eyes of hers and doesn't step away from me right away. Instead, we stare at each other.

Cheeks flushing, I back first and ask politely, "Are yeh alright, ma'am?"

"Yes, I am," Miss Vanilla replies, brushing off her long skirts as she gives me a sparkling smile and adds, "Thank you so much for saving me from falling."

"No problem," I tell her, getting lost in the big brown pools of her eyes. "Is there anythin' else that I can lend ya a hand with?"

"Not at the moment, but thank you," Miss Vanilla says politely before she holds out a delicate hand to me and says, "I don't believe that we've been introduced before. I'm Miss Vanilla."

"Yeah, I know," I nod. Miss Vanilla raises an eyebrow, finding it curious that I already know her name. Damn. Now I probably sound like a stalker to her. Where _are_ my manners? I search my head for somethin' proper to say and mumble in a rush, "I'm Vector. It's nice to meet yeh, ma'am."

We shake hands, mine trembling just a little bit. I can't help but feel a little disappointed when Miss Vanilla releases my hand after a few seconds. She gives me one last enchanting smile and says, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Vector, dear. I have to pick up my daughter from the park, so I'll have to be on my way now. Perhaps we'll run into each other another time."

"Yeah," I nod vigorously, turning around to watch Miss Vanilla as she flounces away from me with that graceful walk of hers. "Have a nice day!"

I stare after Miss Vanilla until she's completely out of sight, my pulse still racin' from all of the excitement. Miss Vanilla actually smiled at me and she even called me "dear". That's gotta be a good sign! Instantaneously energized, I start humming along to my music and continue on my way to Espio's house. This day is off to a great start.

It doesn't take me very long to reach Espio's house. When I reach the cozy yet very clean house, I stop right outside the door and slam my fist against the it to make sure that Espio can hear me knocking. There's only a slight pause before an even-toned voice from within the house calls, "Come in."

I push the door open and step inside of the small living room. I expect to be greeted by a hyperactive little bee, but the kid is nowhere to be seen. Instead, Espio is leaning against the couch with his arms crossed over his chest as usual. I'm startin' to think that his arms are glued in that position.

Forgetting to greet the slender chameleon, I ask bluntly, "Where's Charmy?"

"Charmy promised his friend that he would meet her at the park today. I believe that he's at the park right now. He should be back shortly. I quit my day job at the cafe although I did agree to work some night shifts instead," Espio explains to me. "Feel free to sit down if you'd like. It may be a while before we get our first call."

"Nah, I'm sure that someone will call us right away," I contradict optimistically, earning myself a patronizing look from Espio. Shrugging it off, I tramp across the room and plop down on a wooden chair behind the polished wooden table. Propping my feet up on the table as I slide my chair back, I tuck my arms behind my head and add, "Guess I might as well sit down though."

Espio cringes when I put my feet on the table. I dunno what's buggin' him. Is it me or is it something else? I expect him to tell me what's wrong, but he keeps his lips in a thin line and doesn't say a word. We sit in an awkward silence, neither of us speaking. The silence between us starts to drag on for a bit too long. Even I start to feel uncomfortable and begin twiddling with my thumbs. Having nothing better to do, I take a closer look at the chameleon leaning up against the couch a few feet away from me. His amber eyes are fixed on the wall to my left and although I thought that he was scowling at me earlier, I notice now that he has a faraway look in his eyes and has probably forgotten that I'm even in the room with him.

"Ya know, I would've thought that we would have at least gotten one phone call by now," I reply, my voice shattering the thick silence that has fallen between us.

Espio flicks his eyes over to me and says calmly, "We have to be patient. We created the webpage only yesterday."

"I guess," I reply, feeling a little downhearted that nobody has called us yet. My thoughts travel to the website and I think of something that could be a problem. Frowning, I tell Espio, "I think that we should go take a look at the website just to make sure that it's still up."

"Of course it's still up," Espio replies almost indignantly. "What do you think happened to it? It got removed by aliens?"

I ignore Espio's dry sarcasm and insist, "I'm gonna go check on it just in case. You can just stay here if ya want."

I get up from my chair and start across the room to Espio's bedroom. Not wanting me alone with his computer, Espio lets out a melodramatic sigh and trails reluctantly after me to the computer room. I tramp through the door to his room and go straight to the computer. Plopping down on the stool behind it, I press the power button on the computer and tap my fingers impatiently against the desk that the computer is sittin' on and crank up my music a few more notches.

Espio slinks into the room and sends me a dirty look as he leans up against the computer desk. His lips move and I can tell that he's saying something although I can't hear what it is. Giving him a blank look, I ask, "Huh?"

Espio repeats whatever it is that he was saying, but I still can't hear him. I give him a nonplussed look. Espio's face contorts with irritation. He reaches out and grabs one of my earphones with ninja quick reflexes as he states, "I'm not about to lose my voice screaming at the top of my lungs so that you can hear me over your music. Either turn it down or turn it off."

I wouldn't usually turn my music off just because someone tells me to, but I find that I want to at least attempt to please Espio. He seems like he's gonna be about impossible to make happy, but I can at least give it a try. For his sake, I turn off my music and say, "Alright, so what was it that ya were tryin' to tell me?"

"I said to be careful with the computer because it's the only one that I have and I cannot afford a new one," Espio repeats. Hesitating, he adds, "Perhaps I ought to take over this job..."

"Nah," I reply, giving the chameleon a playful shove as I fight to remain in control of the computer. "I can manage to get onto a website. It ain't rocket science."

My little shove causes Espio to stumble back a few paces. It makes me realize that although his personality is hard and rigid, his body is anything but strong. He's easily pushed around. I almost feel bad for shoving him. Almost, but not quite. After all, he did kinda deserve it fer tryin' to take the computer away from me.

I turn my attention away from an irksome Espio and bring up the internet home page. To my surprise, the home page as been set to our very own website. I smile at it, liking that picture of our team smack in the middle of the website. I'm lookin' pretty darn good there and Esp isn't flinching and glaring for once. He's looking...bashful.

"The website is clearly working. Let's go back to the living room now," Espio says in a hurry to get me away from the computer for some unknown reason.

I hesitate, not wanting to leave the computer room. The living room is boring and there's nothin' to do there. At least I can monkey around on some websites in here to stay occupied. Folding my arms across my chest in a mirror image of Espio, I accuse, "Why are yeh always tryin' to get me away from the computer? I ain't gonna break it. Say, what does this button do?"

Seeing a little red button in the corner of the computer screen, I place my hand on the mouse and bring the cursor up to the button, about to click on it to figure out what it does.

"Vector, _no_!" Espio calls out in warning. He suddenly flies across the room and flings himself toward the mouse, trying to wrestle it away from me. Espio knocks into my stool in the process and loses his balance, going crashing into me. The stool rocks back and forth precariously, and before I know it, we've both toppled onto the ground with the stool skidding away from us across the room.

"Oof!" I groan as I land flat on my back. A light weight comes crashing onto my chest. I see stars for a moment before my vision clears once more and I become aware of the warm little body sprawled across my chest. Espio is straddling me awkwardly with his hands splayed across my chest in an attempt to save himself from his fall. Our faces are only a few inches away from each other and I find myself breathin' in a clean, exotic scent. Seeming frozen from shock, Espio just stares at me with his bright amber eyes. I gaze back at him, findin' it kind of odd how I don't mind the chameleon pinning me to the floor.

Suddenly jerking out of his paralysis, Espio jolts backward, a bright pink flush crossing his cheeks. I feel his body temperature rise up a couple of notches as he scrambles to get off of me. I watch in amusement as he stammers, "T-that button would've deleted the website."

"Oops. Guess it's a good thing that ya stopped me from clicking that button then," I reply, taking my time getting to my feet. Espio actually looks sorta cute when he's all flustered like this. Poking him gently, I ask, "You okay?"

"I...yes," Espio replies a little less stiffly as he takes my hand in an iron grip and practically hauls me out of the bedroom with surprising strength as he states, "Now let's go to the living room before you do any more damage!"

* * *

_Team Chaotix is not having much luck so far. :P Do you think that they'll get a phone call in the next chapter? Review please! :)  
_


	11. Chapter XI

**Regular sonic fan: I'm so glad that you liked the part where Espio fell on top of Vector. xD That was my favorite part of the last chapter too! *high fives you* Vector would make the best dad ever, don't you think? I wish that I could have Vector for a dad! And aw, thanks for saying that my story is awesome! Wow, you stay up really late in the summer. I've been trying to get myself to bed more around 1:30 these days although that rarely works, haha.  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: I hear you there; life hasn't been the easiest for me lately either. I'm glad that you're doing better now though. :) Will you be rereading this story by any chance? *looks hopeful*  
**

**PreyasRules: Never apologize for ranting! I've been kind of unwell myself today. I couldn't be bothered to get out of bed until 5 pm. Yeah, I spent all day in bed feeling weak and pathetic. I kind of have this eating problem where I don't eat at all and then I can't move, it's kind of sad. But anyway, I hate pills! I have at least five that I'm supposed to take, but lately I can't be bothered with them. So how are you feeling right now? Any better, I hope? *crosses my fingers for you* But yay, at least you get school off for being sick. At least there's one good thing about it! Yay, you're still liking Behind Closet Doors! That's awesome. :D Yaoi everywhere! Hehe, I guess that it is a lot of piercings, but I like that type of thing. Don't even get me started on facial piercings unless you want the huge list of the ones that I want. *insert crazy grin here* Good thing that the disc didn't have any of the Chaotix episodes on it. That's a relief anyway. I totally get what you mean about liking and hating chapter ten! I like half of it and hate half of it too (I hate the part with Vanilla obviously). I'm glad that you're happy to have me back on here and I hope that you're feeling better!  
**

**Savvy0417: Hey there! :) You'll get to hear all about what happens in the next chapter shortly! I haven't seen that episode with Amy on the beach! I'm totally going to have to watch it! And yay, you like Scourge to some extent! *high fives you* What do you like about him? He's like my favorite character. xD  
**

**Bluemist45: Oh wow, you really think that I'm a wonderful author? You're too kind! *hugs you* Thank you so much for the kind words! Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**Guest: You have a good memory! The hedgehog from the elevator does show up later to cause more trouble! xD It is pretty funny how snippy Espy is with Veccy right now. They have a long ways to go. And omg, yes, I still hate Vanilla with a burning passion. I'll probably never like that chick no matter what happens. Thank you for the review!  
**

**Fangirl-time: That's okay about yesterday, I understand. I'm so happy to hear that you loved the chapters though! The nightmare is a clue of what might happen in the future! Great job catching on to that! My favorite characters from the Mario games are Dimentio and Mimi followed by Nastasia and Count Bleck. :D Do you like them at all?  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: True there. Being alone is always good, right? And phew, good to hear about the ponies. :P  
**

**Mickfang27: You're right about the sparks flying! All we need now are some fireworks, eh? :D I actually prefer the idea of Vector watching Espio get raped myself as well. I'm a huge angst/tragedy fan, but you probably know that by now. Hurt/comfort scenes are some of my favorites. Espio and Vector for sure need to share some of those. They did come close to kissing in the last chapter, didn't they? And...job hunting is going slow. I was feeling really sick and unproductive today. Thanks for asking though!  
**

**LuluCalliope: xD Well, I don't think that I'll join right now since I'm kind of busy, but that's cool that they have Sonic characters on that website. *points to self* Major Sonic nut over here in case you hadn't realized it! And ooo, your play sounds very interesting! What's it about if you don't mind my being nosy?  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: That was definitely an awkward situation for poor Espio, I agree. xD I like Shadow a lot as well! He's one of my favorite characters actually. Is he one of your favorites too? Rouge is really awesome for a Sonic female character. I don't like a lot of Sonic females, but she's great. I haven't watched Ask the Sonic Heroes before! What's that like?  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hiya! Hm, that fic actually doesn't sound half-bad! That's awesome that you have choir everyday! I'm not surprised that it's the high-light of your day. It sounds like you really enjoy music, right? The alarm clock wakes me up on time even if it has a super annoying loud beep to it, so I guess that's good. And omg, I don't think that I've ever had fun in gym before! I felt really sick today, so here's hoping that tomorrow will be better! How was your day?  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Yeah, let's hope that Vector doesn't accidentally destroy anything else in Espio's house! I highly doubt that Espio would appreciate that. :P Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**LusayLu182: Aw, thanks so much for liking the chapter! I love getting compliments on them! :) Glad to hear that school's going okay for you. Are you in high school if you don't mind my asking? It is nice to have high school over with, but finding a job is harder than you'd think sadly. =/ I love Espio too! Who doesn't love cute little ninjas?  
**

**bearvalley3365: I'm so glad to hear that you're so excited for the next chapter of this story! :D That's a good prediction of how Espio and Vector could get a phone call from two animals instead of one. I will definitely tell you about my favorite Rise of the Guardians character after I get a chance to watch it. Is it your favorite movie, I'm guessing?  
**

**Mysterious: Lol, your quotes between Disney and the director made me laugh so much! I don't get why wikipedia lets other people edit their pages either. I mean, what's the point of that? They end up with a lot of false information that way. Disney needs to get with the times and learn that homosexual couples are just fine, you know? Thanks for liking the chappie!  
**

**Stormyx: I've been feeling sick today too! Are you feeling any better, I hope? Let's hope that tomorrow is a better day for both of us. *crosses fingers* I agree with you completely about stories centered on OCs not belonging on this website. I'm okay with OCs as side characters, but it annoys me when they end up with the main canon characters, you know? Haha, I have quite the list of Sonic pairings, don't I? I'm writing a ScourgexFiona story at the moment. I dunno if you'd be interested in that at all? Manic is Sonic's brother, yeah. I ship them because they call each other cute and act sorta flirty with one another during a few of the episodes. I know exactly what you mean about the traveling thing! I get kind of car sick after an hour, so no, I've never been to another country before either. It's totally okay that this story makes you want Espio and Vector to get together already! xD I'm all for that too. And yay, cyber hugs! *hugs you back tightly* Hope you like this chapter!  
**

**ven bracken: Haha, yes, I'm already making a move with Espio and Vector! :P Don't you think that they should just get together already? xD I see what you're saying about Big. *nods* Are you a fan of Team Rose then? I think that's what Big's team in Sonic Heroes is called.  
**

**zgirl16: I totally hear you there; I was kind of lazy all day long today and didn't want to do much of anything. xD Undertaker sounds like an awesome character! Reapers ftw! Okay, so this is going to sound really stupid, but what's the difference between manga and anime? Sorry, I ask such stupid questions. *hides under my desk*  
**

* * *

**Chapter XI  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

I give Vector no choice but to follow me back into the living room. We've only been together for about fifteen minutes and already he's managed to cause problems. First of all, he's gotten dirt all over my polished wooden table! Grime on the floor is one thing, but dirt on the table? That's so much worse! Secondly, Vector almost deleted my meticulously designed website by pressing an unknown button - the delete button. Thirdly, in my attempt to save the website, I was practically forced to tackle him to get the mouse out of his hand. The result of all this had been the two of us tangled up on the floor together.

Still blushing from the embarrassment from earlier, I keep my eyes focused ahead of myself and refuse to look at Vector. To save my table from further destruction, I point to the sofa in the living room and suggest, "Perhaps you could sit on the couch? It's more comfortable than sitting at the kitchen table."

"Aw, Esp, yer so thoughtful!" Vector exclaims, striding over to the couch once I let go of his wrist. He plops down on one side of the couch and adds, "Yer right, it _is_ a lot more comfortable over here. So are you goin' to sit down too or are ya going to stand there all day?"

I hesitate, not really wanting to sit next to the scaly crocodile. He's loud, abrasive, and I have basically made it my goal to stay as far away from him as possible. Leaning up against the wall, I reply politely, "I'm fine where I am. You can turn on the TV if you'd like."

"Alright," Vector says, plucking up the remote from next to him and flicking the TV on.

Glad to have Vector distracted, I watch him skim through the different TV channels without much thought. At least he can't get into much trouble when he's sitting on the couch and watching TV. I will admit that I'm a bit surprised when Vector settles on watching the soap opera channel. I would've expected such a tough looking crocodile to show interest in sports or something more manly to put it bluntly. Even I dislike the sappy, fake soap operas that usually end up lulling me to sleep on channel ninety-three.

However, since the soap opera is keeping Vector distracted, I keep my mouth shut and start thinking about Charmy. At first, I wanted him to spend all day with Cream to keep him away from Vector. It shames me to say this, but I'm extremely jealous of the way that Charmy has latched on to Vector so quickly. It won't be long before he likes the charismatic reptile more than he likes me. On the other hand, I'm starting to wish that Charmy was here just to break the awkwardness between Vector and myself. His bubbling presence always adds a new dimension to the room.

"Idiot!" Vector suddenly yells from across the room where he's sprawled on the couch. I jump a foot into the air and give Vector a wary look as a long string of cusses follow his exclamation. Turning to me, Vector smacks his fist down on the arm of the couch and asks, "Why can't this bastard just tell the girl that he loves her already? Why cause more stupid drama over the whole damn situation?"

Ah, I see what's going on now. Vector is just getting a little too involved with the show. I point out wryly, "Well, soap operas are typically melodramatic, over-the-top love stories."

"Hmph!" Vector glares at the TV screen before flicking it off and tossing my remote carelessly to the side. I bite my lip as it lands on the floor. You'd think that Vector would show a little respect for things that don't belong to him, but apparently not. Getting up abruptly, Vector states, "I'm tired of watchin' TV! Why hasn't anyone called us yet?"

"Don't look at me," I reply evenly, not about to be blamed for something that I have no control over. "We set up the webpage only yesterday. These things take time. It may take a few days for us to get any business. In the meantime, we just have to sit tight and...not throw things."

I send a pointed look in the direction of the remote that Vector threw onto the floor moments earlier, but Vector doesn't seem to get my point. He crosses his arms irritably and says, "I'm positive that someone shoulda called us by now! Where's yer phone, Esp?"

"My phone?" I ask dubiously, unsure what use Vector has for my phone. "It's in the kitchen. Why?"

"I'm gonna go look at it," Vector states, stomping through the living room and entering the kitchen. I follow after him, hoping that he's not going to destroy my phone for unknown reasons. "There's gotta be somethin' wrong with yer phone. That's why nobody's called us yet."

"That's ridiculous," I reply, pulling myself up to my full height, which is still a good foot shorter than Vector. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with my phone."

"We'll see about that," Vector replies, continuing toward the kitchen.

Annoyed that Vector can't just trust me, I use my fast reflexes to dart out in front of him and stand in front of the phone with my arms crossed over my chest stubbornly. Vector raises an eyebrow at me, wondering what I'm doing. I snap, "There is nothing wrong with my phone and there is no need for you to look at it. You're the one who's being foolish thinking that we should get a phone call after only a few hours of posting our website up on the internet!"

"Say, all I wanna do is look at the damn thing!" Vector replies, eyes narrowing slightly as we stand nose to long crocodile snout. "What's yer problem with that?"

"You told me to trust you only yesterday and yet you can't even trust me about the simple matter of my own phone!" I snap, returning Vector's glare.

There's a long moment during which we both stare at each other with narrowed eyes and arms folded resolutely over our chests. After a moment, I find myself inhaling a dark, spicy scent. Perplexed as to why I'm thinking about what Vector smells like, I frown and break off our eye contact.

Having had enough, Vector gently pushes me out of his way and reaches for the phone. He picks it up and examines it carefully before he looks behind the counter and exclaims, "Well, there's yer problem right here! Ya don't even have the phone plugged in. Have ya even used this thing before?"

I think back and vaguely remember unplugging the phone as soon as I moved into this house, mainly to save myself any nightmarish calls from Bryce if he ever happens to figure out where I live. Barely moving my lips, I shake my head, "No. I've never had a need for it before. The phone at the cafe works just fine."

"Huh. Guess we can't use this phone then. We're gonna have to go to my apartment and wait by my phone for calls instead. C'mon," Vector says, wasting no time in starting toward the door. I stay rooted to the spot and follow him with disdainful eyes, certainly not wanting to go to Vector's apartment out of all places! I'm sure that it's a dump considering the way that he treats my house. Seeing that I'm not moving, Vector stops and turns around to face me, asking, "What's wrong now? Don't yeh want to get a call?"

"Just because you're bigger than me does_ not _mean that you can push me around or make all of the decisions," I suddenly lash out, my hotheaded side getting the best of me for a few seconds. "I'm your equal, Vector. I may not be your same size, but that does not mean that you can treat me any less than anyone else. You invited me to be part of this detective agency and I agreed to being your partner assuming that you would treat me as your equal. I won't be tossed around. If you can't agree to my terms, then I quit."

Vector looks at my flushed face and my rapidly rising and falling chest, appearing taken aback. Cooling off, I find that I don't know where my rant came from. I suppose that it all started with Bryce and his need to make me his slave. Ever since then, my freedom and my natural rights have been two of the things most important to me. I will never allow myself to get back into another situation like the one I barely escaped from. I will not be abused again, not by Vector, not by anyone.

"Uh, I didn't realize that ya felt so strongly about that. I didn't mean to upset ya, Esp," Vector points out, giving me a look as if I'm the unpredictable, insane one in the room. "Yer not exactly bein' the easiest partner to work with though..."

Having returned to my normal temperament, I realize that Vector is right. I haven't made an attempt to get along with him like I promised Charmy that I would. Taking a deep breath, I tell myself to stop pointing out all of Vector's faults and to try and accept him for what he is - a large, unprofessional crocodile who thinks that he's going to be able to be the leader of Team Chaotix. Hm, thinking about Vector that way doesn't seem to put him in much better lighting.

"I suppose that you're right," I say, knowing that I should admit to giving Vector a hard time. "I've just been a bit stressed lately."

"Yeah, I think that everyone has noticed that," Vector points out ruefully. "I forgive ya though. We all have bad days. Now c'mon! Let's not waste any more time arguin'."

I suppose that I owe Vector that much and therefore reluctantly trail him out of the safety of my house and onto the streets. Vector seems happy to be in the direct sunlight and swings his arms by his sides while he turns up his music. It's so loud that I can hear it from where I'm standing next to him. We must look like opposites; Vector carelessly walking along and bobbing his head to his music while I slink along next to him, sending furtive glances all around me.

It doesn't take long to reach Vector's apartment, and by the time that we do, I find that Vector's apartment is exactly what I expected it to be. This apartment has got to be the dingiest apartment in the entire town. Chewing my lip, I ask Vector doubtfully, "_This_ is where you live?"

"Yup! It ain't the nicest place, but at least I've managed to pay the bills so far," Vector replies, kicking the apartment door open and striding inside of it.

Not wanting to be left alone outside of such a beat up place, I hurry after Vector and am plunged into darkness. Apparently, whoever runs this place is too cheap to even afford electricity. It's a very good thing that my eyes adjust to the dark easily or else I would've been running into things. Vector leads me to the elevator and then presses the button that will bring us to one of the upper floors. I continue glancing warily around myself, knowing that a place like this attracts lots of criminals.

"Here we are!" Vector says a moment later after we've exited the elevator and have approached a wooden door with a chipped brass doorknob. "This is my cozy little home!"

I tentatively step into the room. I was right; it's a complete dump in here. The carpet is dirty, there is trash everywhere, the window is cracked, and the wooden desk is dull and covered with old newspapers, empty bottles of sports drinks, and other unidentifiable objects. I stand awkwardly in the doorway while Vector tramps over to the chair behind his desk and sits down on it, staring at the phone on his desk with anticipating eyes.

"Ya can sit on the bed if ya want," Vector points out, sending a glance in the direction of where I'm standing awkwardly against the wall.

My body immediately tenses at the suggestion and my eyes turn suspicious as I ask sharply, "Why do you want me on the bed?"

"Oy! Is askin' yeh if you want to sit down a crime?" Vector questions me. "I just thought that ya might wanna sit down. Go ahead and stand if yeh want though. It doesn't matter to me."

After a moment, I realize that Vector's intentions are completely innocent and resign myself to perching on the edge of his bed. I know that Vector is right to some extent. I am too paranoid for my own good, but after being assaulted and having my soul chipped into smaller and smaller pieces night after night, can you really blame me?

The two of us sit in silence for a while, Vector listening to his music and me consumed with my own dark thoughts. Apparently, Vector grows bored of his music because he finally turns it down to talk to me and states, "Wanna know what I think that the problem is here?"

Not sure that I want to know what Vector thinks that the problem is, I reply resignedly, "What?"

"I don't think that my phone is workin'," Vector says. "There's a strange red light that's blinkin' on here."

"Oh, for god's sake..." I mutter under my breath.

"So ya wanna know what we've gotta do?" Vector goes on. I don't think that I want to know the crazy scheme that is surely going to follow this statement, so I say nothing. Vector continues on anyway, "We gotta have you call my phone. Go into the room opposite mine and call my number with the phone in that room."

"W-what?!" I exclaim in shock. "I am_ not _sneaking into a stranger's apartment room like a criminal!"

"Fine then. I'll do it," Vector says, getting up from his chair and crossing to the door. "If ya hear the phone ring, pick it up and answer it."

"Vector, wait! This is stupid! We could get into lots of trouble and..." I trail off since the door has already closed behind Vector.

Shaking my head, I walk over to the phone and notice that the red light is blinking right under the button that says "messages". The flashing light means that Vector has a voice mail. Apparently, this crocodile is not only unprofessional, but is also a bit slow in the head. Great. I couldn't have gotten myself a worse partner.

* * *

_Oh dear, Vector and Espio really need some phone help! Do you think that someone left them a voice mail about their detective agency? Review please! :) Oh, and on a random note, I started a Scouriana (ScourgexFiona) story earlier today! I haven't posted it yet, but I'm kind of excited for it. xD  
_


	12. Chapter XII

**Regular sonic fan: Yeah, sometimes I think that Vector is the slowest dude in Mobius even if I love him to death. xD I think that we should all have Vector for a dad! That would be so epic, wouldn't it? Omg, 4 am is super late! That's so funny that you woke up just to watch Sonic X though! That sounds like something that I would do. After all, Sonic X is very important. And I know, right? Sometimes I can't fall asleep early even with sleeping pills! *facepalms* Thanks for reading!  
**

**PreyasRules: Yeah, I'm feeling sick too...I'm having a weight loss problem. Like...I lost ten pounds in a month and eating hurts, so I'm having a hard time not losing even more weight, you know? Because if I do, that could be dangerous and I don't wanna die yet, I'm only 18. :( It would be so awesome if we could hang out and do fun things together! I could really use a friend right now. Aw, there's no need for you to feel guilty! Sometimes we all need a little time to rest and feel better. *hugs you* But yay, at least you've gotten down from ten to six pills. I hope that you can get Monday off so you can work on Sonic yaoi! Nothing beats Sonic yaoi, hehe. Randall is super cute in MU, I agree! Randall in MU totally changed my opinion of Randall in MI as well. He looks so adorable in MU, you know? *squeals* And heh, the phone beats Vector in round one! Now that's just sad. :P Thanks again for being glad to have me back, I'm so happy that we can talk again!**

**Fangirl-time: I'm glad that you like Dimentio as well! *high fives you for being a Dimentio fan* That's okay that you've only played some of the classic Mario games before. I hope that you can play Paper Mario sometime! Is Sonic your favorite gaming universe then, I'm guessing? I like Sonic and Mario about equally. Thanks for liking the chapter! :D**

**TheMidnightShadow: Lol, well, I'm very glad to hear that you'll be rereading this again! I have to ask because I'm not much of a re-reader myself. I can barely survive editing my own stories. :P And aw, what's going on for September 13? Do you start school then or...?  
**

**Fully Eroded: Yes, I'm back! It's really good to see you again too! *hugs* I'm sorry that you had some shitty months without Amber Eyes! I have to admit that my last few months have not been so great either. It's really nice to be back though! I promise not to stop writing as long as you promise not to stop reading. Do we have a deal? xD And yay, so you're up for reading my ScourgexFiona story? That would be awesome if you read it!  
**

**Savvy0417: I'm glad that you're excited for my ScourgexFiona story! I worked on it a bit more today. :D Scourge is really hot for a hedgehog, hehe. Do you have a favorite Scourge pairing?  
**

**SurroundedInDarkness: It's okay, I understand about the computer. It's good to have you back though! That's really neat that you wrestle. Do you enjoy doing it a lot? Your mom sounds like mine; she freaks out easily. I've actually been a little worried about my weight because I got down to 67 and apparently you can die if you get much lower than that, so I'm trying to eat more even though it hurts. *sadface* But anyway, I'm not ready to die yet, so I'm working on it. Phantom of the Opera sounds amazing! I love the music from it and anti-heroes are super attractive, I agree. What was your favorite part from it?**

**Bluemist45: That would be awful, wouldn't it? Let's hope that Charmy plays with Cream all afternoon! *crosses fingers* Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**Guest: Yay, I'm so glad to hear that you liked the chapter! :) Hehe, you like soap operas too? I can see Vector getting very involved in them if you know what I mean. And poor Espio having to endure the mess of Vector's apartment. xD Would you be interested in the ScourgexFiona story at all? I'm taking the path where Fiona goes from the perfect little good girl to the exact opposite of that due to a certain someone. :P Thanks for reviewing!  
**

**Chibi-Guest: Of course I remember you! How could I not remember you? *hugs* You always used to leave me such awesome reviews! And yup, I'm alive still surprisingly enough, haha. You'll be rereading this? Awesome! I hope that you enjoy it for the second time! How have you been?  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: I could never forget how much you love him, haha. xD I'm feeling kind of sick because I ate dinner, but I suppose that's a good thing, right?  
**

**LuluCalliope: Thanks for not minding me being nosy. :P I'll check out that link on your page when I get some free time, alright? Your play sounds awesome. And yeah! Who would've known that I like Sonic? *extreme sarcasm*  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: Ask Sonic Heroes sounds like a really awesome show! I'll definitely have to check it out sometime. Maybe I'll send in some questions for the Chaotix. That sounds hilarious about how Shadow starts strangling people, haha. I really love him too. Are there any Sonic female characters that you like? I think that we agree that most of them are annoying!  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Heya! I sort of figured that music makes up a big part of your life. *nods* Becoming an audio engineer would be awesome! How many more years of school do you have if you don't mind my asking? I was doing alright until about three hours ago and then I started feeling sick again. Oh well. I'm glad that you had a great day though! Veccy is cute when he's on the slow side, isn't he? Gotta love that croc! Hope you had a nice day!  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Wow, you've never read a Scouriana fic before? What do you think of that pairing? And yeah, you'd think that Vector would be a bit smarter, but apparently not. *rolls eyes at him* Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**LusayLu182: Thanks for the compliment on the last chapter! I'm really glad to hear that you enjoyed it. Awkward moments are too funny, aren't they? And oh, okay. Well, good luck with 8th grade then! Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**andypandy123: That's totally okay about not responding from the other day. I've been feeling a little sick myself. How are you doing? I hope that you're not still feeling tired. It sucks to have to go in to work, especially when we don't want to. Have fun visiting your family!**

**bearvalley3365: That's a good prediction! I also think that someone made a phone call to the two detectives. You'll find out who made the call in this chapter! Let me know what you think of it! And on a random note, I wish that SEGA would make some Sonic movies! That would be awesome.  
**

**Mysterious: Same thoughts here about wikipedia, they really shouldn't let random people edit their pages if they want to be a reliable website. People definitely shouldn't get bullied for their sexuality. That isn't right at all. And yay, so you'd read my Scouriana fic? *high fives you* What do you think of that pairing? Glad that you liked the chapter!  
**

**Stormyx: I'm still not feeling so great, but I'm very glad to hear that you're doing better at least! I have mixed feelings about cliche. There are times when I use cliche ideas, but cliche and OCs do not go well together. Definitely can't blame a fangirl for shipping lots of pairings! It's fun, right? Were you talking about my ScourgexFiona fic? If so, I haven't posted it quite yet. Ooo, yeah, watch Sonic Underground and let me know what you think of it! I really enjoy watching it and Sonic X. RobotnikxSonia? Um...okay then...that is an odd pairing! I don't blame you at all for getting carsick. Believe me, I know exactly how you feel. That cramping feeling is horrible. Hehe, Charmy, stay out of the way so Vector and Espio can just get it on already, okay? xD And yay, more cyber hugs! *huggles you* Hope you like this chapter!  
**

**ven bracken: Lol, Vector is a bit of a buffoon sometimes, isn't he? :P I love Team Dark! That's my second favorite team. Who is your favorite member of Team Dark? And hm, I don't have an OC actually.  
**

**zgirl16: Heh, we all get lazy at times, don't we? Well, you know what, that is just totally okay to be lazy. *hugs you for being my lazy buddy* Thanks for explaining manga and anime to me without making me feel stupid. You're so sweet. :) Tell me more about Grell Sutcliff and William T. Spears! :D  
**

* * *

**Chapter XII  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

I sit on the chair behind the desk and wait for the phone call that is sure to come. I can't believe that Vector didn't realize that the blinking red light simply means that he has a message! Now he's probably going to get into trouble for breaking into his neighbor's room to use his or her telephone. Part of me thinks that I should go after Vector and drag him back to his own apartment room before anything bad happens, but another part of me decides that Vector can save his own skin. I don't want to be caught breaking into someone else's apartment room.

Ring, ring, ring! I cringe at the loud shrieking of Vector's phone. It's certainly loud enough for everyone on the entire level to hear. As I reach for the phone, I feel a vibration from underneath the floor. I stare at the floor in surprise and am shocked when a cranky voice shouts, "Keep it down up there! Some of us are trying to sleep!"

"I'm very sorry," I call back through the floor, making myself a mental note to tell Vector to turn his phone ringer down when he comes back into the room. It seems as if everything that has to do with Vector is loud, even his phone. I pick up the phone and just in case it's not Vector, answer politely, "Hello? This is Espio speaking."

"Well, yeah, I kinda figured that," Vector's familiar voice sounds through the phone. "Say, the phone ringer is workin' after all! Who would've known? I'll be right back."

I hear Vector's phone disconnect and set down my phone. The sooner that Vector gets back here, the better. I tap my fingers impatiently on his desk until I notice unappetizing crumbs spread all across the unpolished wood. Unsure of what they came from, I dart my hand off of the desk and send it a repulsive look.

Bang! I wince again as Vector bursts inside of the apartment room and slams the door behind him much louder than is necessary. He tromps across the room with heavy footsteps and says, "Guess the phone is workin'. Ain't it strange that we still haven't gotten a call yet?"

"Vector, the reason that you have a blinking red button on your phone is because you have a message. Perhaps you should get it," I point out wryly, trying not to send Vector a patronizing look.

"Huh? Yer a genius, Esp! Who woulda known that the red button means that I have message?" Vector asks in wonderment, taking my place on the wooden chair and picking up the phone.

I decide not to point out that everyone in their right mind knows that the red blinking button signals a voice message. Instead, I lean up against the wall and wait for Vector to get the message. He pounds a few digits into the phone, probably his voice mail password. As I watch him, my lips curve down just slightly. Everything with Vector is so..._forceful_.

Vector's expression slowly changes as he listens to his mail. A big, toothy grin spreads across his face and his eyes light up in excitement. A few seconds later, he slams the phone down and practically yells, "Guess what, Esp? We've got our first job!"

"Oh?" I ask, a bit surprised that someone has called us already. After all, the website has only been up for less than a day. I'm definitely not complaining though. Eager to hear more about our first mission, I add, "What exactly is our first job? What must we do to prevail over evil?"

"Well, we ain't exactly fightin' evil fer this job," Vector points out, making me feel slightly disappointed. "This character called Rouge left me a message sayin' that she lost something and wants us to find it fer her. She isn't going to tell us what it is over the phone though. She said to meet her by the water fountain in front of the mail around noon. We should probably get goin' since it's eleven-thirty."

Vector gets up immediately and starts toward the door. I hold back, feeling a bit suspicious. Raising a hand, I protest, "Wait a second. How do we know that this Rouge character isn't just trying to fool around with us? Don't you find it just the least bit odd that she didn't tell us anything about the item in question?"

Vector thinks about this for a moment before he shakes his head and takes my hand, pulling me after him out of the door as he replies, "Nah, not particularly. She's probably just bein' cautious. Someone else coulda picked up my phone and could have gotten that message instead."

I suppose that Vector has a point, but I am still getting an ominous feeling from somewhere within me. Unfortunately, it looks like I'm going with Vector to the water fountain whether I want to or not at this rate. Vector still has my hand in a tight grip and is striding down the apartment hallway purposefully. I don't usually allow anyone to hold my hand other than Charmy, but it seems almost natural for Vector to hold my hand as he rushes us down the hallway to our first mission. I even surprise myself by thinking that it's rather nice to know that he needs me with him for this. We're a team, aren't we?

Vector drags me into the elevator with him and presses the button that will bring us to the lobby. We come to a halt, Vector still holding my hand. Now things start to feel a little awkward, so I clear my throat and give Vector a meaningful look.

"What is it?" Vector asks me before he looks down and realizes that he's still squeezing my hand. Blushing slightly, he lets go of it and apologizes, "Oops. Sorry 'bout that."

I nod, finding that my hand suddenly feels cold. Before the elevator can reach the lobby, it jerks to a halt again. Vector is standing in the corner of the elevator, absentmindedly flipping through his tunes in an attempt to find something to listen to. I'm standing in the center of the elevator, hoping to reach the lobby soon. When the elevator doors open, a tough-looking hedgehog with narrowed eyes stomps inside of it. He takes one vicious look at me and starts in my direction.

"Are you the bastard creating all of the racket upstairs?" the hedgehog growls, getting in my face.

I wrinkle my nose, smelling the easily identifiable stench of alcohol on his breath. It reminds me of Bryce. Shuddering, I take a step backward and reply, "Excuse me?"

"So it was you after all!" the hedgehog yells, taking a step forward as he advances upon me. He raises his fist as if to strike me and snaps, "You're going to pay for this!"

I stare at the hedgehog indignantly, taken aback by his lack of manners. What is this world coming to? I prepare to dodge his blow, but before I have to use my ninja fast reflexes, Vector jerks his head up from the corner of the elevator. When he sees the hedgehog fixing me with his ferocious stare, Vector's eyes turn into slits and he immediately strides forward. Before the hedgehog knows what's happening, Vector has a hand around his throat and is staring down at him with an annoyed glare.

"Oy! Keep yer filthy hands off of my buddy!" Vector defends me, lifting the hedgehog into the air and shaking him a bit violently before he slams him back down on the ground and points to the elevator door, stating, "Nobody messes with my team. Everyone who threatens Esp here is gonna have to answer to me! Now git!"

The hedgehog takes one fearful look at Vector's bright eyes and glistening white teeth before he scuttles out of the elevator. The elevator door shuts behind him and we start descending down to the lobby once more. A bit surprised and touched that Vector acted so defensive of me, I tilt my head at him as if I'm seeing him for the first time. Nobody has ever come to my rescue or has defended me before. All of those nights when I was left alone with Bryce and prayed for someone to come and save me, nobody ever did. I felt all alone in the world. Now, I feel as if Vector has my back whenever we're together.

"I could have handled that situation on my own," I point out a bit arrogantly before adding, "Thank you for your concern though."

Vector waves away my thanks and says, "Don't mention it. We're a team, remember?"

I nod, thinking of the two of us plus Charmy as a team for the very first time. As the elevator comes to a halt, I find that I'm no longer feeling disdainful toward the big, green crocodile. He may be a bit unprofessional, but his heart is certainly in the right place. Perhaps - I can't believe that I'm saying this - we can be friends after all...

I keep this thought in mind as we step out into the pitch black lobby and make our way to the entrance of the apartment building. Flinching at the bright light as we step outside of it, I find myself lurking in Vector's shadow as I try to adjust my eyes to the sun's bright glare.

"Whatcha waitin' for?" Vector asks me, already halfway down the sidewalk with only three long strides.

"I'm trying not to blind myself," I reply dryly, taking a few running steps to catch up with him.

"Yer not gonna go blind," Vector laughs as we walk down the street side-by-side. "The mall isn't too far away from here. Oh look, there's the fountain. Say, is that Rouge right there?"

I squint my eyes and take note of a female bat pacing back and forth in front of the fountain. She's very pretty as far as bats go, but I'm not really one to care about appearances. As my past experiences have taught me, what's on the inside is what really counts.

Vector and I come to a halt in front of the bat a few seconds later. Getting straight to the point, Vector opens his mouth, but the bat speaks first in a voice laced with honey as she murmurs, "Ah, you must be the detectives. I was wondering when you would show up. It's not polite to keep a lady waiting, you know."

"Sorry 'bout that, ma'am," Vector attempts to be polite for once. "We were havin' a little phone trouble. So just what is it that ya want us to find? We got yer phone message just a few minutes ago."

Rouge glances from left to right carefully to make sure that nobody is listening in on our conversation. Just for good measure, she steps forward and speaks in a very low voice, "I'm looking for a Chaos Emerald. I lost it somewhere on the beach. Please don't ask how. It's a long story. Anyway, the Chaos Emerald is a dark blue color. You really can't miss it. I'm not sure why I'm having such a hard time finding it. I'm usually an excellent jewel hunter."

"Don't ya worry about a thing!" Vector reassures Rouge, his voice sounding extremely loud compared to her whisper. "Team Chaotix has got this one under control. We'll get that emerald back to ya in a jiffy. D'ya want us to call yeh when we find it?"

"Alright," Rouge nods. "I'm sure that I left my phone number on your answering machine. You can give me a ring when you find the emerald. Now I really think that I ought to make something crystal clear to you boys. That Chaos Emerald is extremely valuable. I need it back as soon as possible. Understand?"

"Sure thing," Vector nods, clearly trying very hard to impress Rouge. He hesitates and finally asks the question that he's been wondering all along, "How much are ya going to pay us for it?"

"It's all business with you two, isn't it? Hm..." Rouge muses before her face lights up in a flirtatious smile. She takes a step closer to Vector and tickles his chin seductively, adding, "How about I pay you with a kiss?"

Vector blushes and actually looks like he's going to accept Rouge's offer! I resist smacking my forehead. Vector can be such an idiot sometimes! Folding my arms, I take a step forward and state firmly, "Either you pay us with real money or the deal is off and we're wasting our time here."

Rouge raises an eyebrow in my direction and chuckles, murmuring, "Oh? It seems like you're an intelligent one. Alright then. I'll pay you well. Just get me that Chaos Emerald as soon as possible."

"Right away!" Vector nods, clearly in a hurry to get paid. He waves me after him and exclaims, "C'mon, Esp!"

I start after Vector only after sending Rouge a long look. I don't particularly like her type. She's one of those kinds of people who use their outward attractiveness to get the things that they want in life. Wrinkling my nose, I catch up to Vector as Rouge calls, "I'll be waiting!"

As soon as we're out of Rouge's hearing range, Vector says, "Alright, so our plan is to find the Chaos Emerald as fast as possible. Any questions?"

I practically have to run to keep up with Vector's fast strides as he hurries in the direction of the beach. Frowning, I point out, "Shouldn't we at least come up with a plan first so that we know what we're doing?"

"All we gotta do is find a big shiny gem. How hard can it be?" Vector asks.

We arrive at the beach a few moments later. I look around myself a bit reminiscently. It's been a very long time since I've been to the beach. The last time that I was here was before Bryce had turned my life into a living hell. Back in those days, I was happy and didn't know of the evils lurking behind every corner in this cruel world.

"So I'm thinkin' that you go that way and I go this way," Vector cuts through my thoughts, pointing his finger to the right and then to the left.

I follow his gaze and gulp, realizing just how big the beach is. It's going to take all day for us to search the entire beach at this rate! Frowning, I point out, "I still think that we need a plan."

"What sorta plan?" Vector asks doubtfully. I blush slightly and remain silent since I haven't been able to come up with a plan yet. Vectors nods and says, "Exactly. This kind of thing doesn't need plannin'."

"Searching the entire beach will take all day though," I interject, still wishing that we had a better way to go about doing this.

Vector shrugs his shoulders and starts off to his left, saying, "Well, we better get workin' then!"

* * *

_Hm, how do you think that the search for the Chaos Emerald will go? Review please! :)  
_


	13. Chapter XIII

**Regular sonic fan: It was pretty sweet how Vex stood up for Esp, wasn't it? He's just a big softie under that tough guy look. xD Same thoughts here about the emerald hunt. Nothing ever goes well for the Chaotix on the first try. And omg, same, I love Sonic X so much! It's definitely one of my favorite ever shows! *high fives you* Well, I'm starting this anti-depressant thing that's supposed to make me tired, so let's hope that works in addition to my two other sleeping pills. ...I just realized that I take five pills before bed. That seems like a lot, doesn't it? :P Thanks for reading!  
**

**Fangirl-time: Wow, so you've loved Sonic for twenty years then? That's really amazing! What was the first Mario game that you ever played if you don't mind my asking? I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter. Vector acting all protective of Espio is adorable, I agree! Thanks for reviewing. :)**

**noobheadz: Aw, thank you so much for the kind words on my chapter! That's a good prediction about Bryce possibly showing up in the future! I take it that you're a fan of the Chaotix? :)  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: You're going to laugh at me, but believe it or not, I've never played Kingdom Hearts before and know little to next to nothing about it. *hides* I take it that you're a big fan of it?  
**

**Fully Eroded: Woohoo, it sounds like we have an awesome deal then! *high fives you* You really think that everything that I write is amazing? That's so sweet of you to say! *hugs back tightly* Omg, good luck with high school! I hope that it goes super well for you. You'll have to let me know how your first day goes. Thank you for wishing me a great evening!  
**

**Savvy0417: Yeah, Vector is probably the slowest guy in Mobius, you know? :P Good thing he has Espio around to keep him in line. Omg, those are my two favorite Scourge pairings too! :D I was thinking about writing a ScourgexRosy after my ScourgexFiona. What do you think about that idea?  
**

**SurroundedInDarkness: Thanks for the suggestion! I think that digesting stuff is hard for me in general because I get sick just about every time I try to eat something. *facepalms* I know what you mean though; it's like I'm never hungry, so I could easily not eat for a week and probably never notice it if I didn't pay attention to the stupid scale. Breakfast is easy to skip. I'd rather just sleep until noon. xD Wrestling does sound therapeutic. I've gotta find something like that to do, I think. And aw, I love that scene. I've gotta rent the Phantom of the Opera movie again sometime, I haven't seen that for ages. Have you seen it?  
**

**Bluemist45: Rouge does seem like the type who would get a laugh out of playing the Chaotix for fools, doesn't she? What do you think of her in general? She's actually one of my favorite female characters. Gotta love the treasure hunter type. Good thought about Espio being invisible while he searches! Let me know what you think of this chappie!  
**

**Toni the Mink: Oh really? The emerald hunt leads to one of your favorite parts in the fic? *raises a brow* I wanna know what part of the story that is although I think that I can make a guess. ;) And aw, you don't owe me anything, just knowing that you're re-reading this is more than enough! *hugs***

**Guest: Ooo, awesome! It's always nice when you get a surprise in a re-post, isn't it? Of course silly Vector would almost accept a kiss in exchange for the Chaos Emerald. *rolls eyes at him* Good thing Esp is around to keep him in line! That sounds like a very interesting Scouriana fic. Mine has to do more with the dreaded cliche high school setting (haha), but it has lots of dark twists in it. I think that you know that I write dark at this point, huh? Glad to hear that you'd be interested in reading it though! *high fives you*  
**

**Chibi-Guest: Yay, I'm glad to hear that this chapter was your favorite! *high fives you* I think that's awesome! I promise that I'll get around to finishing the story this time. Thanks for re-reading though, that's so super nice of you! I'm sorry about your internet troubles though. That seems pretty stupid that there's a switch that disables the internet. I mean, who'd want to use that? *sadface* I think that my favorite season is summer! I take it that summer is your favorite season too? I like winter with all of the snow though. I think that it's kind of pretty. :) I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the murder scene yet, so we shall see! Thanks for thinking about my job situation. I haven't found anything yet, but I won't give up! Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: Oh, okay, well, as long as it isn't a bad thing. Nah, not so much. I've been getting nightmares lately, so I don't want to watch anything weird. :P  
**

**LuluCalliope: Lol, I'm just really not a pony girl. :P It would be fun to meet your boyfriend/future husband though, hehe. You must really like him if you already know that you'll say yes. xD Does he know anything about me?  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: I'm definitely going to check it out! Have you sent in any questions before? Blaze does have pretty cool powers now that you mention it. I don't particularly like the BlazexSilver pairing all that much though. How do you feel about it? I just don't really ship Blaze with anyone. She seems pretty independent.  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hi! I'm actually feeling better today, thanks for asking! I'm sorry that your Saturday was so boring. At least you only have two more years of school though, right? I take it that you're looking forward to being done with it? Writing about ARK in the eyes of a researcher sounds like a great idea! I tried to write about Shadow, Maria, and ARK once, but that didn't really go anywhere. I tried to write about Mephiles and Iblis once too, but I had that same problem. xD Hope you like this chapter!  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Sounds good! *high fives you* I'm actually really excited about the Scouriana fic. Good prediction about how it might take the Chaotix two days to find the emerald! Thanks for the review!  
**

**LusayLu182: Thank you very much! You'll eventually see the whole gang in this story. :) It was super nice of Vector to help Espio out in the last chapter, I agree. Charmy will pop up again in this next chapter! Is he one of your favorites? And ooo, you caught on to the dream thing. It could indeed be a prediction of the future! *nods* Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**crazyshine: Haha, it might have been smart for Espio to kill Bryce in his sleep though! xD You're right; Charmy really didn't need to see that. Have you caught up with the entire story? I appreciate you reading it!  
**

**bearvalley3365: I'm glad to hear that you think that this story is getting interesting! That's a good thing, right? Good guess about someone else having stolen the Chaos Emerald already! That would cause lots of problems for the detectives, wouldn't it?  
**

**Mysterious: Sure you can although I haven't seen it, so I'm not chatting much about it. I'm mostly just asking questions, haha. Glad you liked the chapter!  
**

**Stormyx: Thanks for hoping that I get well soon! I actually feel much better tonight, which probably has to do with the fact that I didn't really eat dinner, but anyway. :P I agree completely about cliches! I actually do use them quite often, but I just try to be careful when I do decide to use them, you know? Omg, it is never fun when someone insults your OTP. I don't know about you, but I get very protective and defensive of my OTPs! That's awesome that you're willing to give my ScourgexFiona story a try! I probably won't post it until I'm done with this story, but it's five chapters long so far! I don't think that the dub was that bad either. I really like Sonic X! The pairings that you mentioned are pretty weird, I agree. Are there any common Sonic pairings that you can't stand? You're definitely not the only one who gets carsick. I hate that nauseous feeling! And hehe, I want Esp and Vector to make out already too! Cyber hugs forever! *huggles you forever* Thanks for commenting!  
**

**ven bracken: You're surprised that Rouge lost her jewel? :P I guess that even the best treasure hunters lose things from time to time. xD I really love Shadow. Omega is just kind of okay in my opinion. Hm, I forget what Rouge's outfit looks like. I'll have to go look it up or something.  
**

**zgirl16: It's a good thing that I have you to explain all of this to me or else I would be so lost. xD Grell sounds pretty awesome! I love the color red too. Did I tell you that I dyed my hair dark red? Anyway, Reapers ftw! So do you ship Grell and William or am I just making crazy automatic assumptions over here? xD  
**

* * *

**Chapter XIII  
**

_~ Vector's POV ~  
_

I'm thrilled to finally be on our very first mission, so I don't get why Espio is bein' so pessimistic. He's still standing exactly where I left him a moment ago, staring dubiously out at the large expanse of sand stretching out before him. Unlike me, Espio seems to think that we need a plan for findin' Rouge's Chaos Emerald. I don't think that a plan is necessary. All we're doing is looking for a big, shiny emerald. How hard can that be? I predict that we'll have that jewel in our hands in less than thirty minutes tops.

Leaving Espio alone to search his side of the beach, I get to work and start scanning the sand around myself for any sign of something sparkling in the sunlight. Nothin' shiny is anywhere to be seem. I proceed along the shore, eyes focused on the wet sand for a glint of anything shimmery. The only problem is that there are a lot of folks gathered at the beach on this sunny day. Little hedgehogs throw a beach ball back and forth, a few older hedgehog girls sun bathe in comfy-lookin' lounge chairs, and a group of rabbit kids splash around in the water.

Wait, did I just say rabbits? My thoughts immediately go straight to Miss Vanilla and I forget all about the emerald. Coming to a sudden halt, I glance around furtively fer any signs of a beautiful cream-colored bunny. Unfortunately, there's no sign of a rabbit that fits my description anywhere. My heart sinks and I kick a wad of wet, grainy sand in front of me. All that does is get tiny grains of sand stuck to the bottom of my foot. Annoyed, I lift my foot and try to shake the sand off of it.

Quiet giggling comes from somewhere to my left. Turning, I see the hedgehog kids laughing at me. Frowning, I snap, "What are you lookin' at, you little brats?"

The hedgehog kids immediately fall silent and go scurrying away from the shore, probably going to their mommy fer comfort from the big, bad croc. Rolling my eyes, I remember my true mission here and shove Miss Vanilla to the back of my mind. I can worry 'bout her later. Right now, I've gotta find a Chaos Emerald!

It turns out that finding the emerald isn't nearly as easy to find as I thought that it was gonna be. I search all down the shore of the beach and what do I find? Nothin'! Frowning, I turn and search the beach for a second time just in case I missed something the first time. Even after a second look around my half of the beach, I come up with empty hands. I'm so annoyed that I lean down and pick up a lump of sand. Most of it sifts through my fingers, but a bit remains in my palm. Trying to let some aggression out, I throw my hand back and hurl the sand in front of me as hard as I can.

Almost immediately, I feel eyes on my back. Glancing over my shoulder, I catch sight of those annoying hedgehog kids staring at me again. As soon as they notice that they've been caught staring, they quickly turn around and run in the opposite direction. I glare after them for a moment, wishing that they could just mind their own business and get lost already!

The sound of coughing catches my attention. Turning back around, I see Espio doubled over, coughs racking through his slender body. It takes me a moment before I realize that I probably gave him a mouthful of sand when I accidentally threw some in his direction earlier. Damn.

"Okay there, Esp?" I ask hesitantly. I don't get an answer to my question. All I get is another series of brittle coughs. Not exactly sure what to do, I stride over to Espio and slap him hard on the back, trying to be reassuring as I tell him, "It's gonna be okay. Just cough it out."

Espio flinches at the force of my slap, but it seems to work. He stops choking and spits out a mouthful of sand. Wiping his mouth on his cuff, he turns to me with irritation and states, "Next time, at least try and pay attention to where you're throwing sand. You could get sand in someone's eyes or in their mouth!"

"Sorry," I reply sheepishly as the little chameleon glares at me with daggers in his amber eyes. Trying to distract him, I ask, "So did yeh have any look findin' the emerald?"

"What does it look like?" Espio snaps a bit grouchily as he hold up two empty hands. "I did tell you that we were going to need a plan to find the jewel. There's a reason why Rouge couldn't find the emerald herself. We need to plan things out and think things through first. It would do you good to listen to me once in a while."

"Yeah, yeah," I mumble, not liking to be criticized quite so much. "So what exactly do ya suggest that we do now?"

"Well, we clearly can't keep searching the beach since it's getting dark and we won't be able to see the Chaos Emerald even if it was right in front of us," Espio points out a-matter-of-factly. "I suggest that we return home and think about a plan for tomorrow."

"I was hopin' that we could find that emerald tonight," I admit, feelin' a little reluctant to leave the beach so soon. "Rouge said that she'd pay us more if we find the emerald sooner than later. I could really use the extra dough right now. The landlord's been pestering me about the rent lately."

"So you actually want to stay here and trip over your own feet in the dark?" Espio asks, raising an eyebrow at me. I have to admit that he's got a point and so I say nothing. Figuring that he's made himself clear, Espio nods and says, "Exactly. We will continue our search tomorrow. For now, we need to use our heads. Let's go."

Seeing that I've clearly lost this battle, I reluctantly follow the fuchsia chameleon away from the beach. As I trail after him, I find myself noticin' the way that the rays of peachy colored light from the sunset reflect off of Espio's shiny scales and the way that his slender hips sway ever so slightly when he walks. As if sensing my stare, Espio glances over his shoulder a bit self-consciously and asks, "What?"

"Nothin'," I reply quickly, not even sure why I'm paying attention to what Espio's scales look like in the light coming from the sunset.

The two of us walk in silence until we're away from the beach and onto the sidewalk. Espio sends me a sideways glance and points out, "I have to pick up Charmy from the park. You can just go home if you'd like. It's getting dark. We can think of a plan to find the Chaos Emerald overnight and compare ideas tomorrow perhaps."

"Nah," I reply immediately, getting a bad gut feeling that Espio is just trying to get rid of me. Not going to allow him to shoo me away, I continue on, "It's better if we try to come up with a plan together. Y'know what they say. Two heads are always better than one."

Espio decides not to comment on this and makes his pace a bit brisker. I dunno if this is another attempt to get rid of me or not. Well, if it is, it ain't gonna work. I have an easy time matching my long strides to Espio's. We walk along in more awkward silence until we reach the park. Although Espio seemed to be warming up to me a bit earlier, the sand incident seems to have turned him back to his cold, rigid self once more. Esp is a hard one to figure out. I'd like to see what's behind those amber eyes of his.

As soon as we step into the park, a whiz of bright yellow and black comes barreling toward us. Before I can get out of the way, a little figure attacks me and throws its arms around my neck. I stagger backward and end up plopping down on the ground as I lose my balance.

"VECTOR!" Charmy's excited voice screams in my ear, practically deafening me.

As I blink up dazedly, I see that Espio is trying to hide a little snicker. I would usually be annoyed and embarrassed about bein' knocked to the ground by an overexcited kid, but seeing Espio give a half-smile is almost worth it. Instead of lashing out at Charmy, I state, "Hey kid. Maybe ya don't wanna attack yer fellow team members. It could result in injury."

"I wasn't attacking you, Vector!" Charmy implores, releasing his arms from around my neck and going to hover in front of me. "If I wanted to attack you, I would have used my stinger."

"Ah," I reply, getting to my feet clumsily. Not wanting to become the victim to his stinger, I shuffle over to Espio as if he might save me from a possible future attack.

"Are you ready to go, Charmy?" Espio asks in his even voice.

Charmy hesitates and starts yammering to Espio about a tree fort that he was makin' with his friend, Cream, earlier. The constant babble bores me and I find myself looking around distractedly. I glance over a little cream-colored rabbit with brown eyes. Say, she looks an awful lot like Miss Vanilla! I come to a halt and notice a figure behind Cream. My jaw drops open as my gaze locks onto Miss Vanilla for the second time today. It seems as if luck is with me fer once! Now all I gotta do is attract her attention somehow or the other. Hm.

"Hey Charmy," I start out in a much too loud voice, cutting right through Charmy's blabber. He instantly turns to me, not looking upset that I just interrupted him. In the same loud voice, I ask, "Is that yer buddy Cream over there?"

Espio raises an eyebrow at me, clearly wonderin' why I'm practically shouting even though Charmy is only a foot or so away from me. Charmy follows my gaze to the little rabbit and nods before saying, "Yeah, that's Cream. Want to meet her? I told her all about you! Cream! Come over here for a second! I want you to meet Vector."

The two rabbits across the park from us immediately look over at us. Just as I planned, Miss Vanilla looks over at me, recognition flooding her eyes. A warm smile crosses her face and she walks gracefully over to us with Cream by her side. I bring myself up to my full height and puff my chest out as I place a dashing smile on my face.

"This is Vector, Cream! He's the one that I was telling you about," Charmy informs his friend before turning to Miss Vanilla and adding, "Espio, Vector, and me started a detective agency together! We're calling ourselves Team Chaotix!"

"I see! I'm sure that all three of you will make excellent detectives, especially Vector here. I met him earlier on my way to the park. He saved me from a dreadful fall. I am in your debt," Miss Vanilla gives me a rueful smile.

"Thank you, ma'am," I stutter, cheeks flushing at the compliment. "Ya don't owe me anythin' though. It was my pleasure to help yeh out."

I notice Espio glance between the two of us. His expression quickly turns to one of understanding and his lip curls just slightly. Miss Vanilla gives me another warm smile that sends chills down my spine and adds, "I'm afraid that Cream and I must be going. It's gotten so late. I wish all three of you luck with your detective agency."

As Miss Vanilla and Cream start to turn away, I add, "Give us a call if ya ever need any sort of help, even if it's not related to detective stuff."

Miss Vanilla turns and sends me a grateful smile, calling over her shoulder, "I will certainly do that, Vector, dear. Thank you again."

I watch her leave, feeling Espio's eyes still on me. When Miss Vanilla finally disappears, the three of us start out of the park together. Charmy starts going on about something that I could really care less about, so I start daydreaming about Miss Vanilla. I can't believe that I got to see her twice in one day!

A few seconds later, Espio's clear voice cuts through my fantasies as he asks, "What do _you_ think, Vector?"

Embarrassed to be caught daydreamin', I blush again and stammer, "Uh...sorry, what are ya askin' me about?"

Espio rolls his eyes at me and points out, "It appears that someone is in love."

"Huh?! I am not!" Charmy immediately jumps to conclusions, thinking that Espio is referring to him and Cream. Crossing his arms across his chest, Charmy adds, "Cream is not my girlfriend!"

"I wasn't referring to you, Charmy. I was talking about Vector," Espio points out.

"Vector?" Charmy echoes my name dubiously. "You mean that Vector likes Cream?"

"No. I think that he's a bit lovestruck with Cream's mother," Espio states as calmly as if he's telling us the weather for tomorrow. Sending me a look out of the corner of his eye, Espio adds, "Isn't that right, Vector?"

Fer some reason, I'm not at all embarrassed about liking Miss Vanilla. She's a gorgeous rabbit. Everyone who lays eyes on her probably falls in love with her. Shrugging my shoulders, I say, "What's not to like? She's got those big brown eyes and that beautiful heartwarmin' smile..."

"Ooo! Vector is in love with Miss Vanilla! Vector is in love with Miss Vanilla!" Charmy chants loudly in a sing-song voice.

I expect Espio to tell Charmy to shut his trap, but Espio seems amused by the whole situation and doesn't say a word. Knowin' that I'll never get Charmy on my side, I turn to Espio and point out, "Well, what about you? There's gotta be someone that you've got yer eyes on."

"Me?" Espio asks in shock. He immediately shakes his head and says, "No, I don't."

Now it's my turn to look shocked. Espio isn't that much younger than me. He should have at least some interest in women. Looking at him as if he just spoke a foreign language to me, I press, "No one at all? Geez, Esp, no wonder yer so serious all of the time. Ya need to get yerself a girl!"

"No, I don't," Espio replies flatly. "I'm not interested in a relationship."

"Oh, I gotcha. I know exactly what yer problem is!" I point out triumphantly. "Yer too scared to ask a girl out, aren't ya? Well, don't you worry about that any longer. I'll help ya find a girl, Esp!"

"I don't want a girl or _anyone_ for that matter," Espio frowns, crossing his arms over his chest in the standard Espio stance.

"Aw, c'mon, Esp! Everyone wants someone. Don't yeh want someone to love?" I ask. A flicker of sadness crosses Espio's face. I read into it the wrong way and figure that he's just sad about being too shy to ask a girl out. Throwing a careless arm around his slender shoulders, I continue, "Matchmakin' is my specialty. I'll find ya someone real fast. Yer not so bad lookin, ya know."

Espio blushes and turns away from me, murmuring self-consciously, "Please don't. I'm not good at taking compliments like that."

"It ain't a compliment! It's the truth!" I persist. "I bet a lotta girls think that yer real sexy, Esp."

Espio's cheeks turn poppy red and he hides his face in his hands as Charmy giggles and pipes up incredulously, "Espio? Sexy?"

"Vector, please," Espio implores in an awkward, muffled voice, his head still in his hands. "Not in front of Charmy!"

Charmy giggles again and rolls his eyes at us, saying, "You guys are weird! C'mon! I'll race you home!"

* * *

_Uh oh, Vector has taken on the role of match maker! Do you think that he'll find Espio a date soon? Review please! :)  
_


	14. Chapter XIV

**Regular sonic fan: I agree with you completely! Vector needs to learn that he is not cut out to be a match maker! Sorry, Vex, but it's just not your thing. *pats him on the head* Hm, honestly, I love any of the Chaotix episodes! The one where Vector tried to steal Cream is funny though and I like the one where the Chaotix runs the bar. Which Sonic X episodes are your favorites? Oh my god, that sounds so alarming about having to chase the bus on foot! I would've been freaking out so much! Besides for the bus ordeal, how'd your day go? :)  
**

**Fangirl-time: Don't worry, you're not old at all. There are days when I feel old, haha. I've never played Super Mario World before. Is that fun? And I agree completely! Vector's idea is not a good one! Thanks for commenting!**

**PreyasRules: Aw, thanks so much for the pats on the back! *huggles you in return* Pats on the back are always nice. It's like someone letting you know that they care about you. :) So you ended up going to school even though you convinced your dad not to make you go? You must have a strong conscious because I would've skipped school if I could have. How are you feeling today? Any better, I hope? That's awesome that you think that you made your friend a Randall fan too! Now we can all be purple chameleon fans because purple chameleons are so cute, you know? *squeals* Omg, yes, you remember the part with Amy. xD Amy, go find Sonic because Espio already belongs to Vector regardless of what he tells you! Thanks for the comment!  
**

**noobheadz: I'm so glad that you thought that the last chapter was awesome! :D You're right to have a bad feeling about the plan. Vector's plans never seem to work, do they? xD Mighty isn't in this because I don't know much about him, but Knuckles is in the story quite a bit later! Who's your favorite Chaotix member?  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: Thanks for not laughing at me. Wanna tell me more about Kingdom Hearts? I'm actually really interested in it. I don't think that I would get along with people at your school either because I'm far from musically talented and I'm pretty anti-social in general, so I doubt that it's just you.  
**

**Fully Eroded: Your compliments about me as a writer are so nice! You're making me blush over here, haha. I'm glad to know that I'm an inspiration to you though! My goal is always to make people happy with my stories. Yeah, Vector's back to being a retard and Esp is sexy as usual. xD I'll make sure to give him a kiss for you! And aw, I'm sorry about your father. I used to fight with my dad constantly, but don't worry, you won't have to fight with him for forever. Hope your day is getting better!  
**

**Savvy0417: I'm glad that you're excited for the next chapter! *high fives you* Glad that you like the idea too! I'm a big fan of Rosy. xD She reminds me of my slightly unhinged self, haha. Do you like her?  
**

**Bluemist45: It seems like Espio is always getting stuck in Vector's not-so-brilliant ideas, doesn't it? :P Poor Esp! Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**Guest: Haha, you remember Vector trying to play match maker? :P You're right about how it causes jealousy problems later on! A certain croc will soon be wondering why on earth he ever had to come up with the "brilliant" match maker idea. Thanks for reading!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: I know, I'm trying to work on it. It's just...hard. But I did eat some today. I remember that movie! Sounds creepy. *shivers*  
**

**LuluCalliope: I promised you that I wouldn't die and I always keep my promises. :P But hey, that would be cool! Tell him hi from me, haha. And believe me, I do know how you feel. I was in love (like really, really in love) once, but I sort of lost that. Ah well, if you find true love, never let it go imo.  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: You'll have to let me know what questions you send in when you send them in! :D I agree with you about Blaze; she definitely seems more likely to go on fire than to get into a relationship! Speaking of female characters that we like, do you see Rouge getting in a relationship? If so, which character do you see her with? I like shipping her with Knuckles.  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Heya! I know what you mean about looking forward to it and not looking forward to it. It's good to just enjoy life for now, right? :) I hope that your idea is going well! Shadow is extremely complex to write, I agree. Maria is okay, I guess, but Shadow's origins make him hard to understand to some degree, don't you think? Haha, well, Amy isn't in this next chapter, but her part in this is coming up soon! I actually had a pretty decent day and bought some clothes that were on sale, so that was nice (I'm a freak for sale items xD). How was your day?  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: You're right; Vector always seems to find a way to make things happen when he wants something done, doesn't he? Thank you so much for the review!  
**

**LusayLu182: Vector is crazy, isn't he? xD Same thoughts here about Charmy. He isn't one of my favorites, but you can't help but think that he's adorable, you know? Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**bearvalley3365: I love hearing how you think that this story is so interesting! I agree with you about Espio on the date thing. He doesn't seem like the type to get a date, does he? Vector definitely won't be good at playing matchmaker because of his cluelessness. *nods* Sorry, I haven't had a chance to watch Rise of the Guardian yet. :(**

**Mysterious: Hehe, well, rhyming ftw! Is Grell your favorite character then? Glad you liked the chapter!  
**

**Stormyx: Aw, thanks, you're just so sweet for hoping that I feel better. Oh god, yeah, I know what you mean about certain people who use the same cliches over and over again. I have to come up with different ideas for my stories or else I'd bore myself to death, you know? That's why my Scouriana fic is set in high school - it's going to be nothing like this, you know? I feel the exact same way when someone offends one of my OTPs. It's like someone slapped me in the face almost! Okay, so now that you've told me that, I have to say that I think that everyone hates Chris. I've never met a Chris fan before. And ikr? The Chaotix definitely should've gotten more screen time. For pairings I dislike, well, Shadamy isn't one of my favorites either. I don't like Amy much, but I do like Rosy because she reminds me of myself being a crazy bipolar chick. xD Other pairings I dislike are EspioxNicole and I despise Vectilla with a passion. I mean, who the hell decided to pair a croc and a rabbit?! Oh my god, I used to open the window in the winter and let the snow inside of the house. My mom used to get really mad over that. I need fresh air though, don't you? And yay! *hugs more* Thanks for commenting!  
**

**ven bracken: I think that Espio needs lots of prayers right now. xD Have I read the old Sonic comics? Honestly, I've just skimmed a few of the ones with Jet or Scourge in them. How about you?  
**

**zgirl16: No, believe me, without your help, I would me so lost in the manga/anime world! xD So is Grell/William your OTP right now then?  
**

* * *

**Chapter XIV  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

I can feel Vector's sharp eyes on me as the three of us start back to my humble little home. My cheeks are still flushed from the embarrassment of earlier. Why on earth does Vector think that I need a girlfriend? It's clear that he's head over heels in love with Vanilla, Cream's mother, but that doesn't mean that he needs to start playing matchmaker and find someone for me! Just the thought of a blind date is enough to make me shudder and turn invisible. Ever since I left Bryce, I decided to leave relationships behind me.

Since Vector's stare is starting to get a little awkward, I clear my throat and explain to Charmy, "We received our first phone call today."

"You _what_?" Charmy exclaims incredulously, coming to a halt and whirling around to face me. Giving me an annoyed look, he asks, "Why didn't you tell me about it earlier? What's our mission?"

"We're supposed to find a missing Chaos Emerald. It was lost on the beach," I tell Charmy, hoping that he will be able to help us with this task. "Vector and I spent all day on the beach looking for it, but we didn't find it anywhere. We're going to have to come up with a plan before we go back to the beach."

"Hm..." Charmy muses, looking thoughtful as he hovers next me. "So do you have a plan yet?"

"Not yet," I admit ruefully as we reach the front door to my house. After unlocking the door and stepping inside of it, I give Charmy an imploring smile and add, "We were hoping that maybe you could help us come up with a plan. Clearly, going to the beach and searching around aimlessly is not going to work."

Charmy nods, his face screwed up in concentration as he flies through the doorway. Vector strides in behind him as if in a trance. His eyes are glazed and distant. I have a pretty good idea just what - or who for that matter - Vector is thinking about. Deciding to let him daydream, I shut the door behind him and quickly redo the lock. As I turn around, I notice Vector about to absentmindedly walk straight into my large glass bowl set by the doorway for decoration. I spent quite a bit of money on that bowl and it's probably my nicest decoration in the house.

"Vector! Watch out for the..." I trail off as there's a loud crash. Vector trips over the bowl and lands flat on his face. The bowl goes skidding across the floor, smashes into the wall, and shatters into a thousand tiny shards. I cringe, unable to look at the remnants of my favorite decoration. There's no way that I'll be able to put it back together.

Vector still hasn't gotten up from the floor. He's still lying there flat on his face with his limbs splayed everywhere. I'm mostly angry at him for ruining my favorite bowl, but I find that a very miniscule part of me is concerned for him. Sighing melodramatically, I cross the floor and offer a hand to the clumsy croc, asking a bit grudgingly, "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I guess so," Vector mutters, lifting his head from the floor. Seeing my hand, he grabs it and practically tugs my arm out of its socket as he uses my hand to haul himself to his feet. Glaring at the shattered remains of my bowl, Vector asks, "Why d'ya have a glass bowl in the middle of the floor? The damn thing could trip someone, y'know."

Charmy, who hasn't witnessed any of this, has already flown into the kitchen and is talking about something. From where I'm standing with Vector, his voice just sounds like a mumble. Deciding not to respond to Vector's comment about my "damn bowl" for the sake of his safety and my sanity, I press my lips together and stand rigidly with my back to the wall as Vector gets to his feet. Just as Vector is about to release my hand, he suddenly wobbles again. His hand shoots out for something to grab onto, and somehow or the other, his arm ends up wrapped around the back of my neck. Vector falls forward and I, caught between him and the wall, fall backward. I end up pinned awkwardly against the wall with Vector's snout pressed millimeters away from my lips. A bright pink flush crosses my cheeks as I inhale that strong spicy scent that I smelled the other day when I was too close to Vector.

"Hey guys? Where are you? What are you doing?" Charmy calls from the kitchen, clearly wondering what the hold up is. He whizzes around the corner of the kitchen and stops short when he sees the awkward situation before him. Jaw dropping, Charmy exclaims in horror, "Vector, are you _kissing _Espio?!"

"No, he certainly is not!" I reply, having a hard time keeping my voice level. I duck out from under Vector's arm and give him an irritated glance as I continue on, "Vector fell and I was helping him stand back up."

"Hm..." Charmy says thoughtfully, not sure whether or not to believe me. He throws a suspicious glance in my direction and adds, "Well, okay, but it sure looked like Vector was kissing you. Hey, remember when Vector said that you were sexy earlier? Maybe Vector thinks that you're sexy! That would be sooooooo weird."

"That's ridiculous, Charmy," I quickly defend myself, my cheeks turning even redder than usual. Why does it seem like I'm almost constantly blushing around Vector these days? Deciding not to think about the reasons behind that, I cross my arms and say, "Vector likes Miss Vanilla. Right, Vector?"

"Yup, Esp's right," Vector says from directly over my shoulder, making me jump about two feet into the air. I get another strong whiff of his spicy scent and quickly edge away from the large crocodile. Vector grins his toothy grin and adds, "'Course, I'm not sayin' that ya don't look good cuz ya do."

Charmy starts giggling again and I really don't think that my cheeks can get any redder at this point. Turning away, I reply in a mortified voice, "Please just stop."

"Yer so modest, Esp," Vector rolls his eyes at me as he leans against the couch. Suddenly, he looks sheepish and starts out, "About the bowl...

"Yes, what about the bowl?" I press, narrowing my eyes at the glass shards glinting across the room at me. I'm glad for a distraction and I am certainly hoping that Vector will offer to pay for that bowl considering the fact that Charmy and I barely make it through the month with the small amount of money that I earn as it is.

"Well, I just paid the rent, so I don't have a lotta dough at the moment," Vector starts out, making my stomach sink as I realize what he's about to say. "But don't worry! I will pay yeh back fer it. How 'bout ya get all of the money that we make from finding the Chaos Emerald?"

"That would be fine except for the fact that we haven't found the Chaos Emerald yet," I point out grumpily, making a mental note that Vector is even poorer than I am.

"What we really need is a jewel detector of some sort. They have those on my video game. The detectors help you find the jewels that you need to get in order to pass to the next level," Charmy points out randomly, sparking an idea in Vector's head.

"Say, kid, do these jewel detectors actually exist?" Vector asks curiously. "Seems like we could really use one right now."

"I have no idea, but there's one way to find out!" Charmy replies. Vector and I give him blank stares. Charmy point his finger at the door to my bedroom and states, "To the computer room!"

As Charmy bursts through the door to my bedroom, I wrinkle my nose. The last thing that I need is Vector around the computer again. Unfortunately, it seems like the only way that we're going to find out whether or not jewel detectors exist is if we search them on the internet. As I reluctantly start after Charmy, Vector clamps a heavy hand on my shoulder and starts out awkwardly, "Look, Esp, I really am sorry about the bowl. Didn't mean to smash it like I did."

"Forget about it. Just help me find the Chaos Emerald," I reply, stepping forward quickly and hoping that Vector will let go of my shoulder. I don't like being touched. It makes me feel so uncomfortable. Luckily, Vector drops his hand and we enter the bedroom in single file.

"I started up the computer for you," Charmy says, hovering next to the computer. I never allow him to use it on his own, so he always gets overexcited when he's allowed to watch me do something on the computer.

"Thank you, Charmy," I reply, quickly taking the stool behind the computer before Vector can. After getting on a search site, I type in "jewel detectors" and wait for the results to load. Charmy hovers a little too close to my ear and Vector is leaning over me in a way that makes me aware of his warm breath directly on the side of my neck. A distant memory suddenly swallows me up and I feel my comforting bedroom disappear before me as I'm plunged headfirst into a nightmarish memory.

_ I'm lying on my back with my wrists cuffed above my head. My body is spread out on the bed, helpless and an easy target for Bryce. He's stuffed a gag in my mouth. Well, more in my throat than in my mouth. When he first shoved it into my mouth, I couldn't breathe and started choking. Bryce merely laughed at my misery and took a long time drinking in the sight of me handcuffed and gagged lying out before him on the bed._

_My pulse races and I wish that Bryce would just do whatever it is that he wants to do to me already. I want this done and over with as quickly as possible. Unfortunately for me, Bryce takes his time and slowly crawls onto the bed next to me. It takes him even longer to mount me. After straddling my trembling figure, he runs two fingertips down my side very slowly and deliberately. I don't know what he's doing, but I assume that this is some kind of new torture. Bryce's fingers trail lower down my body. I part my legs for him, anxious to get this over with just so that I can breath normally again and get this gag out of my mouth. I've tried to spit it out, but nothing moves the wad of cloth jammed in my mouth._

_ Bryce strokes my inner leg and watches me squirm uncomfortably, his dark eyes gleaming in sadistic pleasure as he says, "You look real good like that, Espio. It's too bad that I can't keep you chained up all of the time."_

_ I try to respond in protest, but my words come out muffled and more like a pleading squeak from behind the wet cloth._

_"No? You don't like the idea?" Bryce asks, slowly laying himself down on top of my body just to make me uncomfortable. "And just why not? What do you think that you're good for besides for pleasuring me, huh?"_

_ I close my eyes and don't respond. Bryce's sharp words cut through me like a knife, but I won't give him the satisfaction of seeing the hurt in my eyes. I close them tightly and try to ignore the feeling of warm, throbbing flesh pressed up against the small opening between my legs._

_ Hot, humid breath brushes against my neck as Bryce whispers, "You're not good at anything. Don't you see? This is all that you were ever meant to be - my dirty little whore. Now open your eyes. You're more fun that way."_

_ I refuse to do Bryce's bidding, trying to put up as much of a fight as I can despite being bound and gagged. A low snarl sounds in my ear and Bryce's teeth are suddenly directly on my throat, biting and tearing at the tender scales there._

Slam! I hit my head on something hard, causing the whole scene to fade away. I open my eyes woozily and glance around, trying to figure out where I am. The world is on a strange, tilted axis. Words spoken from above me sound like warped garble. Things look familiar though. Where am I? Oh right, this is my bedroom and the reason it's on an axis is because I'm lying on my side on the floor.

Sitting up a bit dazedly, I glance up to see Charmy and Vector both bending over me in concern. Rubbing my pulsing forehead, I ask distantly, "What happened?"

"You fainted!" Charmy immediately informs me. "One minute you were on the stool and then the next you were on the floor. Are you alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine now. I was just feeling a bit light-headed, that's all," I say, not wanting to cause Charmy to worry about me.

"Oh, alright," Charmy replies, buying my lie without a second thought. "So let me tell you what we found out about the jewel detectors..."

As Charmy starts talking a million miles a minute, I send a look at Vector from under my eyelids. He's sending me a hard stare, one that tells me that even though Charmy is naive enough to buy my lie, he is not. I return my gaze to the floor and retreat within myself. I will never tell anyone what happened to me or anything about the abuse that I suffered at the hands of my cousin. It's my burden to bear and I will bear it_ alone_.

* * *

_Aw, poor Esp! Do you think that Vector will ever find out the truth about him? Review please! :)  
_


	15. Chapter XV

**Regular sonic fan: I feel horrible for Espio too, especially with the flashback bit. Sometimes I get flashbacks of things that I don't want to remember and they give me the chills. D: Omg, Vector trying to pair Tails and Cosmo was hilarious, wasn't it? Vector needs serious match-making help. xD I haven't seen the cruise episode! What happens in that episode? I'm glad to hear that school is going okay for you! Did you have bus problems today? :P  
**

**andypandy123: It's good to see you again! How was your time visiting family? Did you have fun, I hope? I've been alright. No luck on the job search yet, but I've been reading and working on my ScourgexFiona story a bit. How was your day?**

**Chibi-Guest: Lol, it's okay, I think that we all laugh at things like that sometimes. xD The bit with Espio and the sand was pretty funny. I'm so glad that you managed to get your computer fixed! Awesome! Match-maker Vector is awful, isn't he? Vector needs to leave the match-making to people like...us. xD Thanks for the advice on the job. I promise not to get anything too stressful or dangerous. I wish so much that I could just become a Sonic writer. That would be fun! Thanks for reading!  
**

**PreyasRules: Die, Bryce, die! *grins manically* You're right about the chainsaw coming in handy! I might have to get myself one pretty soon here, just saying. :P Why is Espio so irresistible? That's a good question! He's like way too easy to abuse for some reason. No problem for the hug! It's always nice to know that someone cares. :) You do have a stronger angel than devil shoulder thing. My devil side always outweighs my angel. I think that my angel got lost somewhere. :P Omg, I hate huge pills! I just had to take one and it got stuck in my throat and now I'm gulping down water to get the stupid thing down. *shakes fist at the evil pills* Pills, why are you so hard to swallow?! I'm doing a bit better today. Didn't lose any more weight, so that's good, I'm thinking. Ugh, dads, why do they have to ruin our dates? I don't blame you for having a crush on your friend. I think that's actually pretty common. Yay for the Sonic DVD coming in, but that sucks about no Chaotix. D: I haven't updated Behind Closet Doors because I've still been feeling kind of sick lately and I've been kind of busy. So I might be able to check out your story later, but probably not right this second, you know? Sorry, but I'm still getting adjusted to life on my own and things are a bit hectic still. And omg, Chris, everyone hates Chris, just saying. :P Thanks for the review!  
**

**noobheadz: Haha, I'm glad that you liked the part about the damn bowl. xD And wow, you have a lot of favorite Chaotix characters! I take it that you've read the comics? I don't recognize Bomb or Heavy. I'm a bit of a Sonic comics noob. I appreciate your review on this!  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: You know, I bet if people tell you that you're a great singer, then you probably are one. Most people are far harder on themselves, you know? Good for you trying to stay more positive. I try to be more optimistic, but I'm a worrywart at heart and get panic attacks all of the time even with xanax. God, I don't know anything about Kingdom Hearts other than the fact that it's a game, right?  
**

**Fully Eroded: Aw, I managed to make your day better? That's awesome to hear! :D Hehe, I'd never think that you're weird, so no worries. *hugs* Oh god, you should see me, I don't have a single real life friend either, so you're not alone. I think that we all have low self esteem as sad as that is. I hope that I can help raise yours somehow if I can! Thank you again for such a lovely review!  
**

**Savvy0417: Hopefully, Vector will make Espio feel better soon, huh? And yay, another Rosy fan! *high fives you* I can't decide if I like Fiona or Rosy best. Who's your favorite? I always make them enemies in my stories since they have to fight over Scourge. xD  
**

**Bluemist45: Espio did a lot of blushing in the last chapter, didn't he? xD Vector, stop making the poor guy blush! Let me know what you think of this next chapter!  
**

**Guest: I feel bad for Espio in the last chapter as well! When it rains, it pours, huh? The poor little chameleon can't catch a break! So are you enjoying the little differences between this story and the last version of it, I hope? My intention was to make it more interesting this way. Hope you like this next chappie!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: Sounds like a plan. *nods* And oh, I love the Phantom of the Opera! I used to be able to play the music from it on the piano. xD  
**

**LuluCalliope: Sounds good. xD Do you get to talk to him each day or how does that work?  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: Those are great questions! I'd really like to know what happened to Manic and Sonia. I mean, it's like they just went poof after Sonic Underground, you know? We want Manic back! Hm, I think that I'd ask Team Chaotix about their most embarrassing moments because I'm weird like that. xD And yay, you're a Knouge shipper too! *high fives you* Let's go through some of the other girl characters...what do you think of Cream and Cosmo?  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hi there! Oh god, same thoughts here. That's why I got really close to suicide at one point last year. :S But anyway, I only write Shadow as a side character these days. Oh my god, buy one get one free sales are the best! I love those! I guess that Espio doesn't seem to realize that hiding the truth will only hurt him more in the end. Maybe he'll spill the truth to Vector someday though, huh? How was your day? :3  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: That is so true! Vector is very impatient, isn't he? :P He's such a crazy croc. Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**LusayLu182: The kissing moment was pretty awkward and funny! xD That's a good prediction about Vector learning the truth eventually. He might not be the brightest guy ever, but it's obvious that Espio is hiding something. Let me know what you think of this chappie!  
**

**bearvalley3365: That's a really good prediction! I also think that Vector will find out the truth in time. *nods* Thank you for continuing to read this story!  
**

**Mysterious: Same thoughts here on Bryce! He should go to hell, shouldn't he? Heh, I can tell that you really like Grell! I've gotta get myself into anime. xD Glad you liked the chapter!  
**

**Stormyx: Writing the same thing over and over again would be a horrible bore. All of my fics tend to have a dark undertone to them, but none of them are exactly the same. Wait...you actually like high school fics? Awesome! I promise not to make mine too cliche. At least, I'll try not to. :P Omg, is it just me or do Shadow and Espio get the most OCs for some reason? Exactly, once I knew someone on deviant art who kept dissing Vecpio and it really got on my nerves! Chris is a Mary Sue for certain. If I ever meet a Chris fan, I'll probably faint from the shock of it or something. What is there to like about Chris? Same thoughts about Amy. Never really liked her much while Rosy on the other hand...*puts on my psychotic grin* I'm glad that you agree with me on Vectilla. It just looks wrong, doesn't it? And yup, EspioxNicole is hinted at in the comics sadly. I don't blame you for getting covered with snow! That sounds like something that I would do! Do you like the snow or not so much? We get quite a bit of snow here in Michigan! And hehe, we'll be forever huggle buddies! *hugs you* Thanks for reading! :)  
**

**ven bracken: That's a good analogy for Espio! I agree that he's like a broken vault with lots of weird numbers. So you've watched both Sonic X and Sonic Underground? Which show is your favorite?  
**

**zgirl16: Aw, well, you're very welcome! *hugs you* Oh wow, you ship a lot of pairings! You're like me and my Sonic pairings. I am noticing all of the Undertaker. I can see that he's your favorite character! xD  
**

* * *

**Chapter XV  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

I attempt to focus on Charmy's words and forget all about Bryce, but that is certainly easier said than done. All of my past experiences are so sharp and vivid in my mind. I remember them as if they happened only moments ago. Will I ever be able to let these memories fade or will they haunt me for the rest of my life? My stomach tightens as I realize that I could spend all of my days with Bryce in the forefront of my mind. Even though I left him, I'm not truly away from him. He's made me his slave for all of eternity.

Surprisingly enough, it's Vector who jerks me out of my reverie and not Charmy. He's not even speaking to me. However, I can feel his sharp gaze upon me and realize that he knows that something is wrong. I sit cross-legged on the bed, trying to consolidate myself into a tight ball as I wrap my arms around my body as if I'm trying to keep myself from falling apart. Vector reaches out and places an awkward hand on my shoulder.

Jerking up, I meet his gaze with unguarded eyes. I don't mean to let my wall down, but the memories swirling around in my mind have made it crash and crumble. Vector can't know everything just from looking at me, but he clearly sees the pain in my eyes. He looks slightly taken aback and I realize my error. Correcting my mistake, I look down at the faded blue comforter on the bed. Vector's hand tightens on my shoulder almost protectively. Typically, I would be annoyed with this, but right now, I find it comforting.

Taking a deep breath, I force myself to listen to Charmy. He's currently saying, "So apparently jewel detectors work just like metal detectors. Whenever they sense a jewel, they light up and start flashing red, I think. Pretty cool, huh? I think that we should get one! It will definitely help us find the jewel that you guys are looking for."

"Charmy's right," Vector nods in agreement before sending a toothy grin in my direction and adding, "Say, Esp, that reminds me of earlier when yeh figured out that the red flashing light on the telephone means that I have a phone message!"

"Right," I reply wryly, offering Vector a dry smile that lacks my typical disdain. "Alright, Charmy, so you have a good idea. Now we just need to know where to find one of these jewel detectors."

"No problem, boss! I already know where to get one," Charmy replies proudly. "Jewel detectors are actually pretty popular. You can find them just about anywhere. I looked it up on the internet and it said that you can get one at the grocery store! There's just one problem though."

"I knew that it was too good to be true," I mutter under my breath, waiting to hear the obstacle that's in our way of finding the Chaos Emerald.

"Jewel detectors are really expensive," Charmy says, getting an apprehensive look on his face. "It would take us ages to get enough money for one."

I sigh loudly. This situation really can't get any worse. Looking from Vector to Charmy, I point out, "Well, we might as well throw away this idea then. We don't have enough money for one and I'm quite sure that Vector doesn't have enough money for one either if he can't even pay us back for the bowl that he broke earlier."

"Aw!" Charmy complains, his bright face falling. "I thought that it was such a good idea!"

"Yeah," Vector adds, his big crocodile grin absent for once. There's a long pause and then he goes on, "It's too bad that none of us can get into the grocery store without bein' noticed. If we could do somethin' like that, we could just take the damn thing."

"That would be stealing, Vector," I point out in a firm voice. "Stealing is wrong."

Suddenly, Charmy brightens again and I frown, knowing exactly what he's thinking. The truth is that I actually have the power to turn invisible at certain times. Whenever I can stay calm and concentrate, I have access to my gift of invisibility. It's a shame that I can't turn invisible when I'm not calm. My gift could have saved me from Bryce many times.

"Espio can go invisible!" Charmy points out loudly. "Can't you, Espio?"

Vector's head snaps up and his eyes are shining just like Charmy's now. Hoping that they're not thinking what I think that they're thinking, I reply slowly, "Yes..."

"Well then, ya know what yeh gotta do, Esp!" Vector proclaims. "Don't let us down!"

"W-what?" I stammer, looking at Vector incredulously. Shaking my head resolutely, I continue on, "I am_ not_ about to use my gift for thievery! I won't allow Team Chaotix to sink down to that level. This simply isn't the right way to go about finding the jewel. We'll have to come up with another option instead."

"Like what?" Charmy asks, rolling his eyes sarcastically. I stay silent because I don't know of any alternative options at the moment. Charmy says, "See? This is the only way that we're going to find the emerald! You_ have_ to go, Espio! Please?"

"The kid's right," Vector chimes in, giving me an almost pleading look, which appears a bit odd on Vector's usually confident face. "Yer our only option."

I hate letting my friends down, but I don't want to steal either. However, with Charmy and Vector practically begging me to do this simple job that only I am capable of, they manage to break through my resolution. I start out hesitantly, "Well, I suppose that I could return it when we're done with it..."

"Yeah!" Charmy nods vigorously, probably agreeing with me just to get me to go. I know that he really doesn't care whether or not I return the jewel detector.

"So yer gonna do it, Esp?" Vector asks hopefully.

"Fine," I admit grudgingly. Charmy and Vector let out whoops of excitement. Vector even throws his arms around my slender waist from where he's leaning up next to the bed. I immediately stiffen and give him a look that tells him not to push it. Vector lets go of me and I hold up a hand, adding, "I am only going on the condition that I will return the jewel detector the instant that we are done with it. Do not try to get me to engage in thievery ever again. This is not something that I plan to make a habit. Understand?"

"Uh huh," Charmy nods. "It's not really stealing though. You're just borrowing the jewel detector since you're going to return it."

"I suppose," I reply, still not feeling a hundred percent certain about this. Pointing to the door, I order, "Everyone out. I need a few minutes to compose myself for this mission."

"Okay," Charmy nods, immediately starting toward the door as he says to Vector, "Espio likes to meditate before doing important things like this. Come on! I'll show you my video game while we're waiting. It's really awesome. You get to kill the bad guys and do all kinds of awesome things in it!"

I wait for the door to fall shut behind my two fellow team members and then cross the room swiftly to one of my drawers. Little does Charmy know that I have no intention of meditating. On the other hand, I need something to calm my nerves. Yanking my drawer open, I start digging through it for my pills. I'm making so much racket while I search for them that I don't hear the door creak open from behind me once more. After what seems like several minutes of searching, I retrieve the bottle that I'm looking for. Unscrewing the cap, I dump four pills into my palm and then place them carefully on my tongue before swallowing them delicately, doing my best not to get them stuck in my throat. I'm only supposed to take one pill, but I really need to calm myself before the daunting task that I'm about to take on.

"So yer not tryin' to overdose, huh?" a suspicious voice sounds from directly behind me, causing me to jump a foot into the air. I whirl around to face Vector, a hand clutching at my chest in shock. "Four of those pills is an overdose, ain't it?"

"How is this any of your business?" I ask, slightly breathless from the shock of having Vector creep up on me like this. Feeling indignant, I pull myself up to my full height, but still feel small and insignificant with Vector staring down at me with untrusting eyes. Annoyed, I add, "Haven't you heard of knocking?"

"'Course I have, but I had one of those gut feelings that ya were up to no good," Vectors says, folding his arms. "Guess I was right. Are ya goin' to tell me why ya took so many of those pills?"

"They're for depression. They calm me down," I state only to get Vector off of my back. "It will help with the mission that _you _happen to be sending me on."

"Takin' four pills is bad fer you. An overdose could cause all kinds of problems. It could start breakin' down yer body," Vector warns me.

I look down at my sneakers, suddenly very interested in the black straps crossing over the tops of them. My body was broken a long time ago. I don't care much about my physical health anymore. It's my mental health that I'm mostly concerned about.

"Espio!" Vector says my full name a bit too loudly, causing me to jump and glance back up at him, meeting his slitted eyes. "Why won't ya just tell me what happened? I might not be the motherly type, but I'm a kind-hearted croc. I promise to listen and to try and help if I can."

"Nothing happened," I lie, wondering if this is why I never seem to make friends. Every adult can tell that there is something _off_ about me. I've bonded with Charmy because he's the only one who can't identify the brokenness of my spirit.

"Yer lyin'," Vector points out a-matter-of-factly. "I can always tell when yer lyin'. Ya can't look me in the eye."

"We need to get back to Charmy," I abruptly change the subject, trying to push past Vector to get to the living room.

"You can't run from yer demons fer the rest of yer life all by yerself," Vector says, putting a finger under my chin and forcing me to raise my face to his. When he sees the surprise in my expression, he nods and adds, "Yeah, I know you've got demons. Ya have this haunted look in your eyes. It ain't right."

"Just drop it," I say coldly, putting up my wall against the pushy crocodile once more. Seeing an escape route, I duck under Vector's arm and quickly stride toward the door.

"You know that I'm only buggin' you about this cuz I care, right?" Vector asks me as I stalk away from him.

For some reason, Vector's last words make me stop in the doorway. He actually cares for me? Nobody has ever cared for me before. My grandmother kept quiet despite clearly noticing the bruises that started appearing all over my body after Bryce moved in. Mother never attached to me or spent much time with me. Friends were something that I never had. At least, not until now anyway. I wonder if I can really call Vector a friend though?

"_Why_ do you care, Vector?" I ask, emphasizing the first word of my question.

"Why?" Vector echoes. I nod. Acting as if I just asked him a stupid thing, Vector goes on, "Well, yer my friend, my buddy, and my teammate. 'Course I care fer ya! It hurts me to see ya struggling with whatever's botherin' ya. We're here to take care of each other. That's what teammates do."

"Thank you," I murmur in an even tone, wondering what it would be like to share my tragic story. How nice it would be to release my demons and receive the comfort that I've always longed for, but never received. Almost as soon as these thoughts enter my mind, I shove them away. I can't tell anyone about my past. It's far too humiliating. Remaining calm and decisive, I add to Vector, "But I can handle this alone."

Vector sighs, but doesn't push me as the two of us step out of the bedroom. Charmy is occupied with his video game, his glowing eyes glued to the TV screen. He doesn't even seem to have realized that Vector and I were alone together in the bedroom for a suspiciously long five minutes.

"Alright. I suppose that it's time for me to do this," I say, bracing myself for a mission that I'd rather not go on.

"Yeah! Time to rock and roll!" Charmy bursts out excitedly, dropping his video game controller and flying over to me in a rush.

Shaking my head, I frown and add, "This task is just for me, Charmy. It would be dangerous and unhelpful for you and Vector to come with me. Just stay here and play your game. I will be back shortly. I believe that there are some cookies still left in the kitchen if you'd like them."

As usual, the mention of cookies instantly cheers Charmy up. He grins and flies toward the kitchen, yelling, "Yeah, cookies! Come on, Vector!"

Vector takes one step after Charmy and asks, "Are ya sure you want to do this alone?"

I nod and take my purple scarf from the back of my wooden chair at the table and wrap it around my neck tightly. It's always chilly at night and I don't want to catch a cold.

"Be careful, Esp. Charmy and I will be waitin' for ya," Vector informs me before disappearing into the kitchen.

I leave the two of them to devour the rest of the cookies and push open the door to the house. A strong, cold gust of wind greets me. Putting my head down, I take a determined step forward and start plodding ahead. It's going to be a long night.

* * *

_How do you think that Espio's mission will go? Review please! :) Also, I could really use your guys' help on something! I'm trying to come up with a main villain for my ScourgexFiona story, but I can't decide whether to use Dr. Finitevus, Sleet, Mephiles, or Silver in it. I need this villain to be kind of pervy, so I'm leaning toward Finitevus or Sleet, but I have a poll up and if you want to take a minute to vote on it, I would really appreciate it! Thanks, guys. :D  
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	16. Chapter XVI

**Regular sonic fan: Vector is super sweet the way that he cares for Espio, isn't he? Those two were a match made in heaven, I tell you! It is awful. I get flashbacks/dreams a lot. I think that's probably how I ended up incorporating it into this story. Oh my god, the cruise ship episode sounds hilarious! I'm totally going to have to watch it just to see Sonic running around like crazy! I'm glad that today and yesterday were better for you. Are you liking school so far?  
**

**celebi4ever: Oh my, what a nice compliment! Thank you so much! I take it that you're a fan of the Chaotix? :) I'm glad to hear that you think that I portray them well, and I agree, a mission usually doesn't go well. There's typically a complication! Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**Chibi-Guest: There are a lot of powers that I would like to have from this fic too! Becoming invisible at will would be awesome, don't you think? Then we could disappear whenever we want to disappear! Hm, I like metal music a lot, but lately I've been listening to a lot of relaxation music because I've been stressed out, haha. It sort of calms me down, you know? What have you been listening to lately? And don't worry; I get the urge to huggle kittens too, so you're not alone. Thanks for reading!  
**

**Fangirl-time: I'm so sorry for not replying to your last review! I must not have gotten it before I posted yesterday's chapter! *sadface* I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapters though and I hope that you like this one too!**

**Ale-theHedgefox84: Omg, hi! It's so great to hear from you again! How have you been? I've been...alright, I guess. I'm eighteen and am on my own now, which is good and bad. I'm struggling with an eating disorder a bit, but otherwise I'm happy to be on my own. No worries about not publishing the one-shot yet. It's just really awesome to talk to you again! *hugs* Hehe, so you already know what's going to happen? :P Will you be rereading this story even though it's a re-posting? Just curious! And I'm pretty much sticking with original characters for the ScourgexFiona story, but thanks anyway!  
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**noobheadz: I'm glad that you think that it's an awesome idea! And yeah, you know Espio, he likes to think that he's "borrowing" it. :P Hm, thanks for explaining Bomb and Heavy to me! Is Knuckles Chaotix a good game? I've never played it before. That's a very interesting idea about Mephiles. He will for sure be in the story, so thank you for your suggestion and for reading this!  
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**TheMidnightShadow: Thanks for explaining the plot of Kingdom Hearts to me! I will admit that it sounds pretty complicated, but awesome at the same time too. I must have played Super Paper Mario a few too many times if the plot is reminding me of it, haha. Btw, I absolutely love Maleficent! She's one of my favorite Disney villains ever. I really like Donald and Daisy Duck too for some reason. Sorry, random commenting on my part. What's your favorite thing about the game?  
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**Fully Eroded: God, your reviews always make me smile so much! Thank you so much for leaving them. I'm so honored to hear that you think that I'm such a good author. I can see why you went with Sleet. I'm either going to use him or Finitevus, but they'll both be in the story. I'm really sorry, but I'm not taking requests right now because I'm sick and am busy with my personal life right now. Again, I'm sorry, but this is just not a good time for me. Hope you understand.  
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**Savvy0417: You'll figure out how Espio does in the next chapter! And same, I like ScourgexFiona and ScourgexRosy depending on the fic. Anything with Scourge in it is good with me. :P Thanks for reading!  
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**Bluemist45: You have pictures of Finitevus on your walls? :P Does that mean that you like him or that you don't like him? xD But anyway, same thoughts here about Espio. Stealing seems like the only option unfortunately. Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**Guest: I'm glad to hear that you're liking the minute changes that I'm making. I dunno why I decided to smarten Vector up a little. It just seemed like a good idea for some reason, haha. I agree with you that Silver having a pervy side would make an interesting twist. He seems so naive that I think that he could unconsciously have a pervy side, you know? I might use the doctor though because he's supposed to be like a mad scientist, which sort of fits the type of "villain" that I need for the story. Either way, Silver will be in it! Thanks for reading!  
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**Villains' Bad Girl: No one in particular really...I just like the theme in the movie. :)  
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**Toni the Mink: You know, I totally get what you're saying there. I'd almost have to make Silver OOC to make him a villain and I'm not sure if I want to even possibly let the story get OOC, so I'm leaning toward Finitevus. Why? Well, he's a wacky scientist and I can see him having a pervy side. Not a lot is known about him, so I can play around with his character a bit, you know? I'll have Sleet as a side villain for sure though if I don't choose him as my main villain. I'm still sort of deciding. Well, I don't have a dA or an AIM, but we can always chat on here. It doesn't bother me in the least if it's okay with you. I'm glad that you're still enjoying the story though! Hope your favorite parts pop up soon!  
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**Manicpanicgirl: Glad you like my question for the Chaotix! And I know, right? It's like whatever happened to Sonia and Manic? I want some sort of explanation for where they went to! Omg, I can totally see Cream giving Eggman a hug and Eggman being like "Wtf?" Cream is okay in my opinion, but I don't like Cosmo much. I think that she's a little Mary-Sueish or something. Let's see...who else is there? What do you think of Nicole and Tikal if you know who they are?  
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**Ersiffa Narman: Hey! First of all, happy birthday! I'm so sorry that you didn't get anything for it though! *throws a massive party like the one that you deserve* I wish that I could've gotten you something. How old are you now if you don't mind my asking? Hope that you still had a nice day despite not getting anything!  
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**Saints-Fan-12: That is a very good point! A purple scarf floating around in midair would definitely look suspicious. Thanks for commenting!  
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**LusayLu182: It is really sweet how Vector is so concerned for Espio. It's a shame that Espio can't see that telling Vector will help him out, not harm him! Let me know what you think of this chappie!  
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**bearvalley3365: It's great to hear that you're continuing to love this story so much! That would be horrible if Espio got caught and put in jail, don't you think? I'm not sure when I'll get a chance to watch Rise of the Guardians. My life is a bit hectic right now and I've been sick. :(  
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**Mysterious: I take it that you recognize Sleet then? The other guy is like a mad scientist, so that's why I was considering using him. *raises hand* I have red hair. I wonder if I'd be like Grell! xD Do you think that you're a lot like any characters from Sonic or are you more like the characters from Black Butler? Thanks for liking the chappie!  
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**Stormyx: Yeah, I definitely think that each writer has a certain aspect about their writing style that sets them apart from other writers, don't you think? I'm glad that you're anticipating my new story! If you have any questions about it, I'm more than happy to answer them. :D I would never make an OC and then pair them with one of the Sonic original characters. That's just not something that I would do, you know? I have no interest in OCs whatsoever. Um, wow, that is weird, I have no clue why someone would write a whole fic about an OTP that they supposedly hate. A lot of people hate Sally, but I don't know, I don't think that she's so bad. What's your opinion on Sally? Rosy should totally come back! I love her for being so OCD and bipolar just like me. xD I really don't like Vanilla. She's just...ugh. I've read too many stories where she's portrayed as a slut, I guess. Hell yeah, it can snow way more than 5 inches here at times! We've gotten massive blizzards and weeks off of school before because of the snow. It makes traveling a bit difficult at times, but I usually like it. And yay, huggle buddies for eternity and beyond then! Thanks for commenting!  
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**ven bracken: Vector did get a swing and a miss, I agree! I love Sonic stuff pretty equally too. It's a shame that Sonic Underground was never completed though, don't you think?  
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**zgirl16: Espio and Shadow are your favorite Sonic characters? Awesome! What do you like most about them? Hm...mpreg, well, it depends. In the Sonic universe, I usually don't like it much, but I did read one story with Espio in it that I thought was portrayed decently enough. What's your opinion on it?  
**

* * *

**Chapter XVI  
**

_~ Vector's POV ~  
_

I don't usually feel bad about makin' other people do work for me, especially if it's for the team. But fer some reason, I do kinda feel bad about sending Espio out to the grocery store all by himself to steal the jewel detector. There's something about Espio that makes me not want to allow him to go on missions all by himself. He seems...huh, what's the word I'm lookin' for? Unstable, I guess. He holds his calm pretty damn well on the surface, but I know that he's about to break down underneath that tough chameleon skin of his. One of these days, I'm gonna get under that layer of skin and find out what's really buggin' him. He won't be able to resist a charming croc like me fer long! Nobody can.

As I turn back to Charmy, I get a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach. If Espio gets caught, I'm gonna have that on my shoulders for the rest of my life. 'Course, Esp isn't going to get caught though. According to Charmy, he's good at this invisibility thing. Nothing is at stake here except for Espio's morals maybe.

"Why do you look so gloomy, Vector?" Charmy asks as I turn around, easily readin' into my thoughts.

"Gloomy? I ain't gloomy, kid!" I reply firmly, doing my best to put a grin on my face before adding as if in an afterthought, "So Espio's pretty good at this invisibility thing, huh?"

"Oh yeah, of course he is!" Charmy nods fervently, flicking on the TV with the remote controller before adjusting the settings for his video game. "Espio can go invisible at any time unless he's embarrassed. So do you want to play this game with me? I can play it first to show you what to do if you want."

"Uh..." I start out, having previously hatched a plan. I have a few things to do while Espio is gone. Trying to come up with an excuse to get myself away from Charmy fer a good ten to twenty minutes, I stammer a bit awkwardly, "I was actually thinkin' about having some more of those cookies that Espio made. How 'bout you stay here and play yer game and I'll bring us some more cookies?"

"That sounds great! I love Espio's cookies!" Charmy exclaims, practically bouncing up and down as he starts playing his video game, his bright eyes glued to the TV screen. As I tramp out of the room, Charmy adds in a singsong voice, "Oh, and Vector? Don't forget to bring us some milk! Cookies are nothing without milk."

"Sure," I roll my eyes as I sneak out of the kitchen and then glance in both directions. When I don't see anyone, I turn to Espio's bedroom instead of going to the kitchen to get milk and cookies. I can get 'em later, but right now, I have something much more important to do.

I try to open the bedroom door quietly, but it makes a nice, loud creak. I hold my breath fer a minute, but Charmy is either too into his video game to care what I'm doing or he doesn't hear me. Grateful for his lack of interest, I stride inside of Espio's bedroom and start straight toward his drawers. I dunno much about those pills of his, but I know enough to know that they're not good for him. He's supposed to take one pill at the most and I always catch him taking three or four. of 'em He could get seriously hurt doin' something like that!

I open up the first drawer and cringe when I see five pill bottles amongst an assort of other random items that one might find in a drawer. I immediately snatch up the pill bottles and slam the drawer shut. Okay, so now what? I gotta get rid of these pill bottles, but I haven't exactly come up with a plan fer that yet. Tryin' to sneak them past Charmy is never gonna work. I need a better plan.

My eyes latch onto the window next to Espio's bedroom. Ah ha! Getting a great idea, I hurry over to the window and crank it open. There's a big green bush right below Espio's window. Could this be any more perfect? Leaning out of the window, I drop the pill bottles into the bush. They're completely obscured by the bright green leaves of the bush.

Feelin' proud of myself for helping my new buddy out, I close the window and step back from the window. Before I can start back toward the door, I notice a glint of something shiny from underneath Espio's pillow. Curiosity gets the best of me and I can't help but lift the pillow. A silver knife sends me an evil wink from underneath the pillow. I stare at it in surprise, wondering why the hell Espio has a knife under his pillow out of all places! I always knew that the little chameleon was paranoid, but this is kinda crazy.

Supposing that I probably shouldn't toss the knife out the window just in case Espio really does need it for something, I decide to leave the weapon under the pillow and then start crossin' the room again. I don't quite make it to the door though. I notice another drawer and hesitate. Should I look at that one too? Yeah, I probably should. Who knows what other crap Espio's got lyin' around?

Telling myself that all of my sneaking around is fer Espio's own good, I tug the second drawer open and glance around the inside of it. There isn't any sign of any more pill bottles. I probably should get out of the drawer, but I'm a bit of a nosy croc. I rummage around the drawer for a few more moments. In the far back corner of the drawer is a gun. Guess Espio really likes keeping weapons in his bedroom. It's an odd place to keep 'em if ya ask me, but Espio can do what he wants.

I'm about to shut the drawer when I catch sight of a photo lying at the bottom of the drawer. I immediately snatch it up and take a good look at it. It's a picture of Espio and what looks like his family. In the back of the picture is an older chameleon who looks like she might be Espio's grandma cuz her scales are all wrinkled and her eyes are squinted. There's another female chameleon standing next to her. This chameleon resembles the older one, but she looks a lot younger. I'm gonna guess that she's Espio's mama.

The two female chameleons aren't too interesting to look at, so I take a closer glance at the two chameleons standing in front of the females. One of them is very tall and powerful looking. His scales are jet black and his eyes are bright red. I get a dominant feeling from him. He likes to be in control and take charge of situations. See? My detective work is already paying off. I've gotten pretty darn good at predicting people's personalities just from lookin' at them if I do say so myself.

There's another figure standing next to the black chameleon. This one has got to be Espio. His scales are the same fuchsia color that they are now, but fer some reason, they look dull here. There are a few strange darker splotches on his arms and on his sides. Slammed up against the black chameleon's side, Esp looks...well..._terrified_. His amber eyes are wide and he looks like he's tryin' to say something with those big eyes of his. What's he trying to say though?

Frowning, I notice there's something else weird about Espio's eyes. He's wearing strange pinkish eyeshadow and are those fake eyelashes on his upper eyelids? Alright, so something fishy is definitely going on here. Espio wouldn't wear eyeshadow and fake eyelashes. I know him well enough to realize that. So why's he looking like this in the pic?

The answer to my question evades me. Being the investigator that I am, I keep looking at the picture and try to pick up on any details that I might have missed the first time around. Here's somethin' strange. The dark chameleon has a tight arm wrapped around Espio and his hand is practically resting on Espio's groin. Feeling a little awkward, I glance away from the picture and shove it back in the drawer. Who knew that Espio had a brother? I'm gonna have to ask him more about this strange black chameleon when he gets back from the store.

As I'm about to push the drawer shut, I notice a little black book labeled "journal" lying in the drawer next to the photograph. I've already snooped way more in here than I should have, but Espio's gonna be gone fer a long time and Charmy seems to be occupied with his video game. I grab the journal and notice that the computer screen is lit up. Say, I could take advantage of Espio's absence and get on the computer for a while. To be honest, I have no interest in Charmy's video games.

Plopping myself down on the stool behind the computer, I set the journal down onto the desk to read later and then bring up a new webpage. The Team Chaotix website immediately pops up. I notice the picture of the three of us there and take a better look at it. Espio looks healthier in this pic, but his eyes are still sad and wary. What the hell happened to the poor guy?

I stare at Espio for a moment longer before an ad at the top of the screen catches my attention. It says, "Want to know when you're going to find your true love? Click here and find out today!"

Unable to resist, I click on the button eagerly and wait impatiently as the website changes before my eyes. Geez! There's definitely enough porn on this webpage. I try not to look at the pics, but my nature gets the better of me and I end up staring at naked rabbits with big tits and seductive smiles. Eyes glued onto the screen, it takes me a good five minutes before I remember why I actually came to this page in the first place.

Tearing my eyes away from the hypnotizing pictures, I find more writing and start reading the blinking text. It says that all I've gotta do to find out about my true love is enter my name in the little box at the center of the screen. Alright, that ain't too hard to do. I clumsily type my name into the box and wait for my results.

After a few long seconds of suspense, more text appears at the bottom of the screen. I read it eagerly. It says, "You, Vector, of twenty years of age, have already met your true love. In a month's time, you will realize just who this true love is when you share a kiss with this special person for the first time. Your true love is shy and reserved, yet very polite. You'll be the dominant one in the relationship and you're going to have to be careful with the way that you treat your partner. Shower them with love and cherish them because they may easily slip from your grasp."

I stare blankly at the last few sentences before a toothy smile crosses my face. The definition of my true love sure sounds a lot like Miss Vanilla! She's definitely shy, quite, and polite and we all know that I've already met her. The best part of my results is the bit that says that I'm gonna get my first kiss in a month!

Content, I turn away from the computer screen without shutting the webpage down and glance over at Espio's journal again. I pick it up and push the guilt out of my head as I open the journal to the first page. What I find there makes my stomach flip flop. Only one word is written on the page.

_ Help._

That's all there is written there. 'Course, that's not the only thing on the page though. A few drops of red are scattered on the page. It looks suspiciously like blood although I'm gonna guess that it's just red ink. The page is crinkled as if it's been wet. Why would the paper be wet though? Maybe...was Esp crying when he wrote this?

I scan quickly through the rest of the journal, but all I find are more crinkled pages. That single word is starting to haunt me. Why did Espio write "help" out of all things? Was he in trouble? If so, did anyone ever help him?

"What are you doing in here? I thought that you were getting us milk and cookies!" Charmy's voice sounds from right behind my shoulder. I practically have a heart attack from surprise and whirl around to face Charmy. The little bee is giving me a confused look.

Slamming Espio's journal down on the desk behind myself and hoping that Charmy hasn't seen it yet, I grunt, "You should learn to knock before enterin' a room, kid!"

"Sorry, but you were taking forever," Charmy complains loudly before glancing at the computer screen over my shoulder. His eyes grow as wide as saucers as he exclaims, "What is that website about, Vector? Why is everyone _naked_?"

Dammit! I turn to the webpage and realize that I've forgotten to click it down. I immediate exit out of it as quickly as I can and say, "Nevermind that, Charmy."

"But I wanna know!" Charmy complains, sending me an annoyed look.

"Look, Charmy, it's kind of an...uh...adult website. Adults like lookin' at that sort of thing," I tell Charmy. He stares me with a blank face, obviously not getting it. Shifting uncomfortably in my chair, I add, "Say, I'd be real grateful if ya don't mention this to Espio."

"Well, okay, but you'd better not tell Espio that I ate all the cookies then!" Charmy says after a moment's pause.

"Fine," I grunt, figuring that I can keep Charmy's little secret. "Alright, how 'bout ya show me yer video game now?"

"Yeah!" Charmy nods vigorously. "C'mon!"

I quickly toss Espio's journal back into the drawer while Charmy's back is turned and then follow him out to the living room. Charmy starts babblin' on and on about his game, but his words go in one of my ears and out the other. My thoughts are on Espio. He's hidin' something big - I can just feel it! His cry for help in the journal is really starting to bother me.

"Charmy?" I cut into the bee's blabber. "Is there anything ya know of that Espio needs help with?"

"Espio?" Charmy echoes me blankly before shaking his head. "Nope. Why?"

"No reason," I reply.

After thinking everything through fer a few more minutes, I decide that even though I don't know Espio's dirty little secret, I can still help him out! It's a cold night out there. How about I try and make Espio feel like he's appreciated when he comes back to the house? Every little thing counts, right?

"Does Espio like tea or coffee?" I ask Charmy randomly.

"Oh yeah, he loves his tea," Charmy replies absentmindedly before he asks, "Why?"

"I'm gonna make him some," I decide, standing up. "It's a cold night and we gotta make Espio feel like we appreciate what he's doin' fer us. Is there a blanket around here somewhere?"

"Um, yeah. There's one in the closet over there," Charmy says, pointing to the closet to our right.

I stride over to the closet and pull out a large, warm blanket. I'll set Espio up a cozy little spot on the couch and make him some tea. I'll coax that secret out of him yet. Just ya wait, Esp, yeh won't be able to resist a croc's irresistible charm for long!

* * *

_How do you think that Espio will react to the tea and the blanket that Vector is setting out for him? Review please! :) Also, I'm going to be annoying and repetitive and ask you to vote on my poll if you haven't done so yet. Thanks, guys! Oh, and on a random note, it is thunderstorming so much here right now and I'm kind of scared. *hides under my desk* I hate storms with a passion!  
_


	17. Chapter XVII

**Regular sonic fan: Vector is nosy as hell! I mean, his intentions are good and all, but really Vector? Going through ALL of Espio's drawers? *rolls eyes at him* I'm totally going to watch that episode! Sonic X makes me laugh and smile a lot, which is why I really love it! Maybe that's good that you don't remember a lot about your past? Mine was kind of shitty and I wish that I could forget most of it. I bet that you are tired from waking up so early! *hugs* I bet you're glad that tomorrow is Friday, huh? And ooo, awesome, I'll check out the song next!  
**

**crazyshine: Espio has had it rough, I agree! Fiona Fox is from the Archie Sonic comics. You can look her up on wikipedia. Thank you for continuing to read this! I love your comments!**

**Fangirl-time: Thanks for understanding! *hugs you* I'm so glad that you loved the chapter! Vector's been such a sweetie, isn't he? Thanks for reviewing!**

**celebi4ever: Very cool! I love the Chaotix too (obviously). :P So Espio's your favorite, huh? What do you like most about him? I'd say that Vector is my favorite. I agree that Espio is not going to be pleased when he finds out that his pills missing! Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**PreyasRules: Haha, I'm so going to get a chainsaw. It will be my new best friend. *insert devilish smile here* Yay for your devil side winning out! Band sounds super boring, I can totally see why you didn't want to go to it. The gigs sound nice though. I mean, who doesn't like getting a day off of school? Choking on pills is horrible! Why are pills always so huge? I mean, why can't they come in a mini size or something? You must be the opposite of me. I see food and I'm all ew about it. :P That's awesome that you convinced your dad not to see Monsters University with you! *high fives* Hope you have fun with your friend! God, I know, doing things when we're sick is such a pain. I'm not feeling that great today, but oh well. How are you doing? Chris is just as bad as a male Amy! Everyone hates Chris! I mean, have you ever met a Chris fan? I hate thunderstorms because once lightning hit our house and the fire department came at 3 am and we all had to stand outside in our pjs getting soaked. It was horrible. Omg, I hate spiders though too, especially the big black ones. For some reason, I can't kill them though, so I just stand on a chair and stare at them until they disappear somewhere and then I keep wondering about where they went to. *shivers* Thanks for commenting!  
**

**andypandy123: Oh, it's okay about the whole job thing. My grandma is being really nice about it and isn't like "You have to find a job right this second or else", so the pressure isn't too high luckily. Wow, it sounds like you did awesome on your GCSE's! Great work! *high fives you* Is that about how you expected yourself to do on them?  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: It sounds like there are a lot of awesome things about the game! I love gaming music so much, so I can definitely see how that would be a plus! The ending sounds great too as well as the weapon. I take it that you're a big gamer?**

**noobheadz: I agree with you about Espio freaking out! I'd say that your prediction is 100% right! Hm, Knuckles Chaotix doesn't sound like all that great of a game, so I guess that I'm not missing out on too much, which is good to hear. Do you have a favorite Sonic game? Aw, sorry, but the only idea that I have right now is the one that I'm using for my ScourgexFiona story. I'll let you know if I think of something though! Thanks for reading!  
**

**Ale-theHedgefox84: I'm glad to hear that you've been doing well! Are you in school right now or are you on summer break? Nah, the thing is that most eating disorder victims like to keep it quiet. I went to the hospital once for it before and that was hell, so I'm trying to handle it on my own. My goal is just not to drop under 67 pounds right now. As long as I don't do that, I should be okay, I think. Vector got the tea and blanket for Espio just to be nice to him. :) I'm glad to hear that you'll be rereading this! So you won't find it boring the second time around? ^^ I'll try to take a look at it if I'm not sick that day, sure. Thanks for the review!  
**

**Fully Eroded: Yup, someday! Thank you so much for understanding, that's awfully sweet of you. :) I'm so glad to hear that my stories make you feel so many different emotions! I try to portray a lot of different feelings through them, so that's good to hear that my intentions are getting through. I have holes in my wall too, so it's not just you. :P Aw, thank you again so much for the kind words! You're making me blush again! I love all of the "anti" characters. Scourge is my top favorite followed by Fiona as you probably guessed.  
**

**Savvy0417: Here's the next chapter! Let me know what you think of it! :D  
**

**Bluemist45: Wow, it sounds like you have a lot of Sonic things posted on your wall! Once, my friend got a poster with Scourge on it and I was so jealous. :P What's your favorite poster that you have? I just have one big one with all of the Sonic characters on it.  
**

**Guest: Haha, that is so true. Espio will be very appreciative of the gesture at first...until he realizes that a certain someone stole his pills. :P You don't mind storms? I had lightning hit the house once, so they always freak me out. :P Thanks for your review!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: I've had lightning strike the house before, so I wouldn't consider myself lucky, lol.  
**

**Toni the Mink: Heh, you like thunderstorms? If lightning hadn't struck our house before, I probably wouldn't mind them so much, but ever since then, they've always freaked me out. I know, right? The website is clearly talking about Espio, but brilliant Vector has his mind on Vanilla like usual right now. *rolls eyes at him* We can chat about anything that you want to chat about! I love talking about Sonic, writing, or whatever the hell else you want to talk about. Maybe I should get an aim or msn or something. Do you have both of those?  
**

**Manicpanicgirl: Yay, we agree about Cosmo being Mary-Sueish! *high fives you* I like Tikal as well although I don't know much about her. Nicole is like a lynx girl from the comics. I think that she's kind of paired with Espio in them, so I don't like her much. Thoughts on Rosy and Fiona? :)  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hi there! Aw, you're sweet, I'm glad that you thought that the new chapter was a present. :) Still, I wish that I could do more for you! Was there anything in particular that you wanted for your birthday? Yay for being 15! That's awesome! Storms are the worst. Lightning kind of freaks me out. *shivers* My day was alright although my ear is killing me. How was your day?  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: That's a super good prediction! It seems like Vector always does something to mess things up, doesn't it? :P Thank you for reading!  
**

**LusayLu182: I agree with you there; it would be weird for Espio not to be mad over Vector snooping around. At least Vector is trying to look out for him though, right? Let me know what you think of this chappie!  
**

**bearvalley3365: Glad to hear that you're still enjoying the story! I also agree that Espio will be surprised to find the tea and the blanket when he arrives home! He's not used to others doing nice things for him, is he? And that's a really good way to think about storms! Thanks for the advice. :)  
**

**Mysterious: You have Sonic Underground DVDs? Awesome! I always have to watch the episodes on youtube. I like the episodes where Manic cross-dresses. xD Do you have any favorite episodes? That's cool that you're like Grell and that you're like Blaze! I don't think that I'm that much like Grell now although I am crazy. I'm more of a Fiona and Rosy, I think. Glad you liked the chapter!  
**

**Stormyx: Oh yeah, I agree with you completely. It would be so boring if authors wrote in the same writing style. There would be no variety in stories then, you know? It's okay about the poll, I understand. OCs just don't have a place on this website. That's really all there is to them imo. Honestly, I'm not sure what a crack pairing is. I'll have to look that up sometime when I'm not feeling so lazy. But like you, I will go down with my ships! *raises a Vecpio flag and waves it around like a nut* Same thoughts here about Sally. Everyone hates her, but she's not THAT bad. Using Rosy instead of Amy is such an awesome idea. Then SEGA should use Scourge instead of Sonic, you know? I'd die happy if that happened. :D Vanilla does have a tiny bit of a slutty look to her imo, but that might just be me. She always just stands around looking pretty with that drugged, half-closed eyes look to her. xD Oh god, that seems so unfair about how your school never gets closed but how all of the other ones do! I hate ice though. I broke my leg once just from falling over, so ice is a major hazard for me. Fanfiction will never end, well, not as long as I'm around! I promise to keep it up and going!  
**

**ven bracken: You don't think that Espio won't be too happy? :P I think that it's always a good idea to worry for Vector because he's almost always in trouble. That's an interesting thought there! What kind of OC would you want to make?  
**

**zgirl16: I can totally see why you like Espio! How can anyone not find him cute? I understand Shadow's seriousness too and I actually feel really bad for him. He seems pretty traumatized, but you can't really blame him considering his beginnings and whatnot. Heh, you like Black Doom? I think that he's creepy as hell for a villain. Mephie is my favorite when it comes to Sonic villains unless we're counting Scourge. You're writing mpreg? Hey, that's cool! I think that it could be really good in another fandom other than Sonic!  
**

* * *

**Chapter XVII  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

The mission to steal the jewel detector goes as well as it could have gone. Unfortunately, my conscious bothers me during the entire mission. I've never used my gift to actually steal something before. I can't help but feel as if I've gone against all of my moral standards tonight.

To my chagrin, the jewel detector isn't exactly the easiest thing to carry around. Although it's not heavy, it's big and bulky. It takes a lot of my strength to lug it past the grocery store, the mall, and finally around the corner that turns onto the street that my house is located on. By this time, it's grown very cold outside and it is starting to rain. Miserable wet droplets slide down my scales and create little dark patches on my scarf. Shivering, I pull it closer to me and walk as fast as I possibly can while continuing to drag the box containing the jewel detector around. The box is two-thirds of my height and is about three times as wide as I am. Finally, the familiar door to my cozy house comes into view.

Taking a sigh of relief, I attempt to balance the cardboard box in my arms while I try to lean into the door to get it to open. After pressing all of my weight against the door, it finally creaks open. Fatigued, I lose my balance and accidentally drop the cardboard box. It falls to the ground and goes skidding across the floor. I'm caught off balance and topple forward...straight into Vector's arms.

A strong, spicy scent immediately engulfs me and I find myself momentarily stunned. I look up, my hands pressed against the crocodile's warm chest. He has one hand at my back and is looking down at me in concern. The warmth of his body is welcome after I spent the last thirty minutes freezing outside. I should step backward - after all, this can't look right - but my feet don't move and I just stay where I am with my amber eyes locked onto Vector's concerned ones.

"Steady there, Esp!" Vector exclaims in his loud, slightly abrasive voice. "Are ya alright?"

"Y-yes. It's just c-cold out there," I shiver, finally taking a step back from Vector and wrapping my arms tightly around myself.

"You got the jewel detector! Awesome!" Charmy exclaims, already across the room from us with the jewel detector. I don't think that he even noticed the slightly awkward exchange between Vector and myself. Inspecting the box carefully, Charmy asks more to himself than to us, "I wonder how we get this thing open?"

From my past experiences, I would have expected Vector to be right over next to the box with Charmy. Surprisingly enough, he's not. Instead of showing interest in the jewel detector, he's still by my side and has taken the initiative of unwrapping my scarf off from around my neck. He drapes it onto the back of one of the wooden chairs and then fetches something from the couch. Returning to me a moment later, the tough looking crocodile wraps a thick, warm blanket around my shuddering shoulders.

"Here ya go!" Vector exclaims as he tucks the blanket around me. I stare at him wide-eyed, unsure of where all of this special treatment is coming from. Vector isn't done lavishing me with all kinds of nice things just yet. He gently guides me to the kitchen table and points to a mug full of hot tea, adding, "I made this for yeh. Charmy says that ya like tea."

"I do like tea," I murmur, still a little stunned as to where all of this came from. "Thank you, Vector. Is there...something that you want from me?"

"Huh?" Vector asks in a clueless manner before he registers what I'm thinking. "Can't a croc do somethin' nice fer his buddy without wanting something in return?"

"Why, yes," I reply, suddenly feeling very touched. "This is all very kind of you. I don't believe that anyone has ever done something this nice for me before."

"Well, ya better start gettin' used to this kind of treatment because this is the kind of thing that teammates do fer each other," Vector says, drawing out a chair from next to me. It makes a loud, grinding noise against the floor that causes us all to flinch. Plopping down on the chair, Vector asks, "Is there anything else that I can do for ya?"

"No, Vector. You've done so much already. I didn't know that you had this side to you," I admit truthfully as I pick up the mug and take a small sip of tea. Warm liquid streams down my throat and immediately warms me up. I stop shivering and cast Vector a long, sideways glance. Perhaps there's hope for the crocodile yet.

"How are we going to get this thing open?" Charmy complains loudly from across the room as he stares at the immense cardboard box in annoyance.

"There are some scissors in the kitchen drawer, Charmy," I call over to the frustrated little bee. "You can go get them if you like and open the box with them."

Charmy nods and immediately flies out of the room to go fetch the scissors. I'm perfectly content just to sit here with a thick blanket wrapped around my shoulders and with a nice, warm mug of tea in my hands. What's even better though is that I'm in a house full of friends. Yes, I consider Vector a friend now. He's done rather a lot for me today.

Breaking the silence between us, Vector says, "Ya really care about the kid, don't ya?"

"You mean Charmy?" I ask, glancing over at Vector with raised eyebrows. Vector nods, an unreadable expression on his face. I nod and reply, "I do care about him. I treat him as my own. He's the only family that I have. Without him, I would be all on my own."

"Aw, don't say that! You'll always have me too, y'know," Vector points out, looking sad at my words. He hesitates before asking, "Didn't you say that ya have a brother though? Why not live with him?"

I stare up at Vector blankly. Where on earth would he get the idea that I have a brother from? I most certainly do not have a brother. I've never had any siblings. Shaking my head slowly, I reply, "I never said anything at all about having a brother. Why would you think that?"

"Uh, no reason," Vector replies, shifting uncomfortably in his chair.

I give Vector a hard stare. I haven't known him for long, but for some reason, he looks a little suspicious. Before I can try and figure out what it is that's so suspicious about him, Charmy comes bursting back into the room, waving the scissors triumphantly in his hand. He flies directly over to the cardboard box and starts attacking it with the scissors, trying to get it open as quickly as possible. I flinch at his haste, not wanting him to be too careless and end up hurting himself.

"Careful with the scissors!" I warn him. "They're very pointy at the end."

"Yeah, I know," Charmy rolls his eyes at me, probably thinking that I'm taking on the role of an overprotective parent. Someday, he'll thank me. I just don't want to see him get hurt.

Out of the corner of my eye, I can feel Vector looking at me. I immediately shift uncomfortably in my chair. I'll never be able to stop the spontaneous wave of anxiety that flows through me whenever anyone stares at me for more than a few seconds. Bryce used to stare at me for long, seemingly endless minutes back when I shared a room with him. He would chain me up or tie me in some awkward position and then just sit there and stare at me with a smirk of malice on his face. The worst time was when he chained my legs apart one night when he was feeling particularly cruel. While I was forced to hold still in that horribly awkward position, Bryce sat between my thighs and stared at my intimate parts to purposefully make me feel uncomfortable while I blushed bright red and wished that I could be anywhere else in the world.

"Wow, this thing is awesome!" Charmy bubbles, jerking me out of nightmarish thoughts. "It looks like it's something out of my video game!"

Both Vector and I look over at the jewel detector. It actually looks a lot like a metal detector. I see no difference between the two items. Vector happens to glance up at the clock hanging on the wall above the jewel detector and exclaims, "Geez, it's gotten really late! Guess I should scram. Is there anything else that I can do fer you two before I go?"

"Yeah! You can buy me this new video game that I want! It's called-" Charmy starts out enthusiastically before I interrupt him.

Speaking over his voice, I say, "What Charmy means to say is that we're both very grateful for everything that you've done for us today. Would you like to meet us at the beach at the crack of dawn tomorrow morning? We might as well get an early start on our mission to find the Chaos Emerald."

"Sounds good to me!" Vector nods. "I'll see ya then! Take care of yerself, Esp."

I watch Vector disappear out of the door with a calculating look on my face. Vector had been acting so nice to me. Why? There has to be a reason for it. Nobody ever does anything for me unless they want something in return. Perhaps Vector's just feeling bad about breaking my precious bowl earlier.

As soon as Vector is out of the door, Charmy groans, "Aw, Espio, can't we let Vector stay the night? It's so cold and dark out there! What if he gets lost?"

I hesitate, warming up to the idea of Vector staying the night just a little bit. Vector seems pretty harmless. Yes, he's a huge crocodile with gleaming white teeth, but I'm starting to realize that his heart is in the right place. However, Vector's already out of the door and I have no intention of calling him back.

"He won't get lost," I reassure Charmy. "Crocodiles have good eyesight. It's getting quite late. I think that the two of us should go to bed. We have lots of work to do tomorrow."

"Uh huh! We're going to use the jewel detector and find Rouge's Chaos Emerald!" Charmy nods enthusiastically before sprinting off to his bedroom.

I sit by myself for a few minutes and finish drinking my tea. By the time that I drain the cup, I'm feeling warm and tingly inside. Glad to no longer feel like an icicle, I take my time getting up and then amble slowly to the bedroom. Once there, I go straight to my bed and sit down on top of my sheets. Leaning against a fluffy pillow, I find that I actually feel..._happy_. It's been a very long time since I've felt this way. Vector's kindness toward me was something that I never would have expected from anyone let alone a crocodile. Tears of happiness drip to the corners of my eyes. I don't usually cry, but I'm feeling so emotional that I let the little drops of water spill down my cheeks.

The bedroom door suddenly whips open and Charmy comes to a halt, asking in confusion, "Espio, are you crying? What's the matter?"

"I'm fine," I quickly murmur, wiping my eyes on my cuffs as I attempt not to let Charmy see my tears. It's too late though. Charmy has already flown over to me and is staring at me in concern. He hovers directly in front of me and wipes one of the tears that I missed from my cheek. Figuring that I ought to offer an explanation for this, I add, "Sometimes people cry when they're happy, Charmy."

"That's weird," Charmy points out before he suddenly flings his arms around my chest and hugs me tightly, saying, "I heard that a hug always makes people feel better when they're sad."

"I'm not sad, but I will take a hug," I reply, wrapping affectionate arms around the little warm body pressing against my chest. We sit on the bed in that same position for a few minutes before I feel Charmy's breathing become slow and rhythmic. He's already asleep. Smiling down at him, I cradle Charmy against me and fall asleep moments later.

Not surprisingly, Charmy is the first one to wake the next morning. He shakes my shoulders and yells in my ear, "Espio! Get up! We have to go find Rouge's jewel today!"

I jerk up with a start and gaze around blearily. For once, I had a completely dream-free sleep. Images of Bryce and other terrors evaded my mind. Concealing a yawn with the back of my hand, I murmur, "You're right. Go brush your teeth and then we'll get some breakfast and head to the beach."

"Okay!" Charmy says, always an excited ball of energy in the morning.

I watch Charmy whiz out of the door before taking my time getting off of the bed. I usually meditate for a bit in the morning, but for some reason, I find myself reaching for the drawer adjacent to my bed instead. Although I've been feeling better lately, I still think that I need my anti-depressants. However, as I reach inside of the drawer, I can't find the familiar cylinder shape of the pill bottles. Hm, that's strange. I know that they have to be in here somewhere.

Frowning, I look into the drawer and rummage around inside of it for a moment before I'm forced to come to the conclusion that the pill bottles are definitely missing. Where are they? It takes me only a moment longer before I come to a horrible conclusion. Vector must have stolen them.

All of the good feelings that I have been starting to have toward Vector immediately dissolve. How dare he go into my drawers and steal my things? I _need_ those pills. They keep me from lapsing into depression and they keep me calm. Vector will never know what it's like to feel completely hopeless or to have someone jeer at you and ridicule your body for hours on end. He doesn't understand why I need these pills. In his thick mind, Vector probably thinks that he's doing me a favor. However, whether his intentions were for my good or not, I'm extremely upset with him.

"Espio! Are you ready?" Charmy calls from the living room.

Taking a calming breath, I force myself not to get too upset. I will confront Vector about this as soon as I get to the beach. Wait. I won't be able to confront Vector about it with Charmy around. I suppose that I'll be forced to wait until Charmy leaves us alone for a few moments. God knows how long it will be until then. Perhaps I can find a way to get rid of Charmy instead...

I step nimbly into the kitchen, doing my best to conceal my chaos of emotions as I smile as normally at Charmy as I can and ask in a relatively calm voice, "Are you sure that you wouldn't like to visit Cream at the park today? I know that she really enjoys your company."

"Huh? Why would I want to go to the park and miss all of the fun?" Charmy asks me, giving me a strange look. "I'm going to the beach with you and Vector!"

"Oh...alright," I say, realizing that there's no getting around this. "I suppose that we might as well go now then."

"Yay!" Charmy exclaims, already three steps ahead of me out the door.

I follow Charmy to the door and start down the street, mind completely occupied by Vector's misdemeanor. It's only when we're halfway to the beach that I forget that Charmy never had breakfast. Coming to a half, I hold up a hand and call to Charmy, "Wait a minute. You never ate your breakfast. Come on, let's go back to the house."

"Aw, but I'm not even hungry!" Charmy whines.

"No protesting," I say in a firm voice.

Charmy complains the whole way back to the house, but I can't have him starving. After a hurried breakfast of milk and cereal, the two of us start to the beach for a second time. My fists absentmindedly clench and my eyes narrow. Vector is certainly going to get what's coming to him.

* * *

_Uh oh, Vector's in big trouble! How do you think that the confrontation in the next chapter will go? Review please! :)  
_


	18. Chapter XVIII

**Regular sonic fan: Yeah, Espio is really pissed! I guess that I can see it from both viewpoints. I mean, Vector is only trying to look out for him, but going cold turkey on pills is never easy. Woo, Sonic X fans for forever! *high fives you* I don't like Chris that much, but there are worse characters in other shows, I agree. Thanks for the hug! *hugs back* Remembering the past can be difficult, so I just try and focus on other things a lot of the time. That seems to help a little bit. And hehe, we can be crazy together! I know what you mean about not wanting to go to bed earlier because it's a Saturday and all. Do you have any plans for the weekend? The song is awesome, btw!  
**

**Fangirl-time: *hugs you back because I love hugging* Vector is a cutie, isn't he? I want to hug him. xD And yeah, poor Esp is angry! Vector is going to be in trouble, don't you think? Thanks for commenting!  
**

**andypandy123: That is so true, we all have unlucky moments even though we wish that we didn't. Ugh, that sucks about your parents and the pressure that they put on you. Are you looking forward to moving away from them? My parents always put more pressure on me than my grandma, which is really a shame. Haha, you are lucky since you can get good grades without studying much! I take it that you're not much of a studier? I was always too lazy for studying myself. xD I wouldn't feel too bad about the D - it sounds like everyone got bad grades from that class because of the rushing.  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: That's awesome that you love both gaming and music! That sounds like me to some extent actually. Besides for Kingdom Hearts, what are some of your other favorite games?  
**

**noobheadz: Vector is always causing trouble, isn't he? He's a troublemaker at heart, I think. xD Wow, that's a long list of your favorite Sonic games! To be quite honest, I've only played Sonic Adventure 2 out of your list. *looks sheepish* And you know what? I love Sonic '06 actually. Mephiles is one of my favorite Sonic characters. I take it that Silver is one of your favorites?  
**

**Savvy0417: You're right about the argument not going to be pretty. :P You'll find out how it goes in this chapter! And yay, pairing questions! I love it when people ask me questions. I prefer Shadamy because I prefer Shadow to Sonic and because it has a nice twist on things. How about you? :)  
**

**Bluemist45: Aw, thanks! You're sweet! And ooo, I know what that poster looks like! Cream looks badass on Shadow's motorcycle, haha. xD I take it that you have lots of the Archie Comics? :)  
**

**alienschnitzelblast: I'm so happy to hear that you think that this is an awesome story! That's such a great compliment! :D I take it that you're a fan of the Chaotix? **

**Guest: Espio is definitely going to give Vector a stern talking to, that's for sure! Haha, so this is like an AU version of the original? I never thought of it that way before. Good question about whether or not drunk Vector will appear in this story. Would you want to see drunk Vector in this? Just curious. xD Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: I never said that I don't get scared. :P But nah, I just listen to loud music and try to distract myself.  
**

**Toni the Mink: Omg, talk about ironic timing, huh? xD Too funny about the radio! Life is just full of little ironies, don't you think? Going cold turkey on anti-depressants is super hard. I take something called xanax for sleeping, and if I suddenly dropped it, there is no way that I would sleep for at least a week probably. I haven't gotten around to MSN yet, but when I do, I'll let you know. For now, we can talk through reviews. To be quite honest, I haven't seen any animes before and I dunno much about Black Butler, but everyone else seems to like it and is telling me about it, haha. So I sort of know who the characters are, but I don't know what they look like or anything. :P Are you an anime fan?  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Heya! I wish that I could've gotten you those studio headphones! I hope that you can get them eventually! *crosses fingers* And aw, you're getting sick? Any idea what you're sick with? Hope you feel better soon! Why does Espy make you mad in this chappie? xD Thanks for reviewing!  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Vector should definitely feel ashamed! You shouldn't just do something nice for someone else just so that you don't get caught. *rolls eyes at him* Hope you like this chapter!  
**

**LusayLu182: You're totally right there; Vector is definitely going to get it! I would prepare myself for an argument if I were you. :P Let me know what you think of this chappie!  
**

**bearvalley3365: The confrontation that goes on between Vector and Espio is over Vector tossing Espio's pills out of the window. You're right to think that it won't go well at all. Thank you for continuing to read this!  
**

**Mysterious: I feel bad for anyone who comes into contact with Dingo! xD ...But can someone please tell me what Sonia saw in Bartleby or whatever-his-name is? Omg, I can't stand that guy! What about you? Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

**Stormyx: I don't even want to think about all of the repetitive high school fics that you'd get if everyone had the same writing style! *shivers with you* I definitely think that people should make use of more of the minor characters *coughlikeRosycough* I mean, why not give them a bigger role instead of inventing an OC? Makes sense to me anyway! You're probably right about the crack pairing thing. I'm not very good with fanfic writing terms even though I've been writing fanfics for years. xD Omg, a spinoff with Scourge and Rosy would be amazing! I can't decide if I like Scourge better with Fiona or Rosy though. *thinks about this* How about you? I never read Vectilla fics. They make me go "ugh". I use a little Vectilla in this story, but I think that it's obvious why it's in this story. I'm so sorry about your school. *hugs* Honestly though, I wouldn't say that schools here are any better. I got bullied so much at school that I was home-schooled for several years. :S And omg, brown, sloshy snow is the worst! It's really ugly to look at too. *shivers* With me around, I swear that fanfiction shall never die! Thanks for reviewing!  
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**ven bracken: You were right about Espio being upset over the pills! I can't blame him though, can you? Teddie sounds very interesting! The speed types are usually my favorites although the flying types are cool too. What type of character do you like best?  
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**zgirl16: I think that everyone feels bad for Shadow to be quite honest. *nods* What qualities in Shadow do you see in yourself? Black Doom is a cool villain even if I find him creepy, so I can see why you like him. I love Mephiles so much, I don't even know why, haha. My favorite Mephiles pairings would be Mephadow and Mephilver. I love the whole "join me" scene with Shadow and Mephiles and I think that Silver could turn Mephiles around with his innocence if he was given the chance. Do you like either of those pairings? Your mpreg story sounds cool! Have you gotten far with it? :)  
**

* * *

**Chapter XVIII  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

As I stalk down the sidewalk with my teeth clenched, Charmy stops his constant blabber and suddenly flies right in front of my face, forcing me to come to a halt in front of him. I shift the jewel detector in my arms and raise my eyebrows at him. It figures that Vector couldn't have taken the jewel detector to his place to save me the trouble of lugging the horribly awkward piece of equipment all of the way to the beach. My arms are going to be sore before I even start searching for the Chaos Emerald at this rate.

"What's wrong, Espio?" Charmy asks, looking concerned as he hovers in front of me, refusing to get out of my way until I answer his question.

"Nothing is wrong, Charmy," I lie. Why does it feel as if I'm always lying these days? I'm constantly fibbing to Charmy and Vector. It's no wonder why I don't have any friends. Since Charmy is still giving me a suspicious glance, I make up a random excuse and add, "Let's just keep moving though. I can't carry this jewel detector around for much longer."

Charmy glances from the large silver device in my arms to the beads of sweat forming on my forehead despite the fact that it's a cool morning and a gentle breeze wafts through the air around us. He immediately gets out of my way and nods his agreement, "Good idea. We should have had Vector carry the jewel detector to the beach for us."

"Too bad nobody thought of that yesterday," I point out wryly as I count the remaining steps to the beach.

Finally, after much struggling and sweating, I make it to the beach with Charmy a good hundred yards ahead of me. Apparently, the little bee can't keep his excitement to himself and is now spinning through the air in elated somersaults. My original plan was to confront Vector as soon as I saw him this morning, but now I hesitate. It seems like it would be such a shame to break up the chemistry that is finally starting to flow between the three members of our team. Charmy clearly loves having Vector around, Vector seems to like both Charmy and myself, and I had been finally starting to see some hope in Vector. ...So please someone tell me why he had to go and mess it up!

Once we arrive at the beach, I drop the metal detector into the sand and rub my sore arm muscles before plopping down in the sand myself. The bright, scorching hot sun doesn't do much for my already overheated body. On the contrary, it seems to zap the remaining amount of moisture out of my scales. Since Vector still isn't here yet and Charmy seems happy enough to entertain himself by spinning around in the air, I decide to go for a short swim to restore some of the much needed water to my scales.

"Charmy! Please come here for a moment," I call to get Charmy's attention while I sit up in the sand. It sticks to my sweaty scales, causing me to want to get into the water even more.

Charmy flies over to me obediently and asks, "Yes?"

"I'm going to take a short swim," I point out, trying to flick grains of sand off of my sweaty body. "Make sure that you stay in this area and don't get into trouble while I'm gone. Also, if you could keep an eye out for Vector, that would be nice as well. I have a feeling that he won't be able to find us on the beach even if we were right there in front of him."

"Hehe, sure boss," Charmy giggles before giving me a mock salute and flying back over to the jewel detector to continue his airborne somersaults.

I slowly stand up and make my way to the edge of the beach. The sand here is wet and the water flows up to my ankles. Brr, it's cold. I consider backing right out of the frigid water, but I clearly can't walk around the beach covered in sand and smelling like sweat all day long. Taking a deep breath, I brace myself for a sudden rush of coldness and dive nimbly into the distant water.

Splash! I cut through the water like a knife and find myself engulfed in its cooling presence. I shiver for only a few minutes before I adjust to the water temperature. Just to burn time at this point, I lazily swim around in the water, diving in and out of the crashing waves with ease. Only when I see a big, clumsy crocodile entering the beach do I decide that now is a good time to exit the water. If I'm lucky, I can catch Vector alone for a few moments before he runs into Charmy.

Now freezing again after slipping out of the water, I wrap my arms around my dripping wet figure and hurry over to where Vector is looking around blankly, probably trying to find Charmy. Wishing that I had a towel or something to dry myself off with, I come to a halt in front of Vector and give him a narrow-eyed glare.

Even with me standing right in front of him, it takes Vector a good few minutes to notice me. When he does, he sends me a toothy smile and exclaims, "Hey, Esp! I was wonderin' where ya were."

"Look, Vector," I start out, deciding to cut straight to the chase. "I know what you did. You can't just steal other people's things regardless of how you feel about them."

"Huh?" Vector asks, looking nonplussed. I almost smack my forehead, wondering if the thick crocodile has already forgotten about how he stole my pills. As if to prove my point, he adds, "I dunno what the hell yer goin' on about."

I grind my teeth together, knowing that Vector_ has_ to be the one who stole my pills. Charmy would never do such a thing. Vector is the only culprit and I know that I've caught him red-handed. Drawing myself up to my full height, I try to make myself appear menacing to Vector, but the huge crocodile still towers over me.

"I...I know that you were only trying to look out for me. At least, I'd like to think that's why you stole my pills. However, you cannot just take my personal possessions like that! You can go to jail for stealing, Vector. It's a crime. We're detective agents and we fight against this very thing. Please just give me my things back and we'll put this behind us," I plead, wanting to just leave this little incident in the past. Vector, unfortunately, does not appear to have heard a word that I just said. His eyes are focused on me, but he has a faraway, infatuated look on his face. Either he's daydreaming about Miss Vanilla again or he likes the sight of the shivering, dripping wet chameleon standing in front of him. Annoyed, I snap my fingers in Vector's face to jerk him out of his trance and ask in as even of a voice as I can manage despite my growing frustration, "Did you even hear a word that I just said?"

Vector blinks and flushes before stammering, "Uh...sorry, I got a little distracted. What did ya say again?"

Willing myself to be patient, I reply in exasperation, "Basically, I just said that stealing is wrong and that I can't have you stealing again from me, Vector. Just give me my pills back and we'll let bygones be bygones."

Comprehension finally dawns on Vector's face - really, it's about time - and he gives me a nervous look as he responds, "Erm, sorry. Can't do that, Esp."

"And just why not?" I ask, my hotheaded side about to break loose. I can tell that I didn't meditate this morning because my body is all uptight and I'm having a hard time staying in control of myself.

"I...uh...sorta got rid of 'em," Vector admits, taking a step backward as if he fears that I might slap him, which, at the current moment, is the exact thing that I feel like doing. "I don't want ya accidentally takin' an overdose and that's the direction yeh were goin' in!"

I open my mouth and then bite my tongue. I have to admit that Vector is actually right. I have been taking more and more pills lately without thinking of the consequences. I took four instead of one just the other day. What would've been next? Six? Eight?

Taking advantage of my silence, Vector goes on, "I hate seein' ya so depressed like this, Esp. Charmy and I are gonna do our best to help ya out of this funk, alright?"

Sighing, I find that the fight goes out of me and I nod slowly, imploring, "Just don't steal from me again. Promise me that."

"Sure thing," Vector nods, placing a hand over his heart as he states a little loudly, "I promise that I, Vector the croc, won't ever steal from ya ever again. Happy now?"

"I suppose so," I reply a little reluctantly.

Before Vector and I can move on to more pleasant topics of conversation, a bright yellow and black bee comes whizzing toward us. He flings himself at Vector, causing the big crocodile to wobble and practically fall over. I stifle a snicker, finding it slightly amusing how just a little bee can overwhelm a large, sturdy crocodile.

"Hey Vector! I thought that you were never going to get here!" Charmy emphasizes his words loudly, still hanging onto the thick, golden chain around Vector's neck. He suddenly sends Vector a funny look and asks him curiously, "Why are you looking at Espio like that?"

My head jerks up to see what Charmy is talking about. To my surprise, Vector is staring at me again with that spaced out look on his face. A frown slowly crosses my mouth and I suddenly really wish that I had a towel that I could use to dry myself off with. Under Vector's stare, I feel so..._naked_.

"Huh? I'm not lookin' at Esp," Vector stutters, blushing slightly. "I'm just lookin' at the water."

"Oh, okay," Charmy says in his accepting manner. He waves his arms at us and urges, "Come on! Let's get the jewel detector and start searching for the Chaos Emerald!"

Vector and I start after Charmy. Vector still has a faint blush on his cheeks and I can't help but wonder where it came from. Was he really staring at me and not thinking about Miss Vanilla earlier? If so, why was that? I can't come up with any answers to my questions and soon forget about the whole ordeal as the three of us come to stand behind the jewel detector.

"Hey, kid, any idea how this thing works?" Vector asks, scratching his forehead.

"All you have to do is turn it on by pressing this little red button here," Charmy explains, flying over to the jewel detector and pressing the red button on it. Looking proud to know more than Vector about something, Charmy goes on, "When there's a jewel nearby, the machine will start making noise."

"Noise?" I ask suspiciously, aware that there are lots of people at the beach today. If we make a lot of noise, we'll draw a lot of unwanted attention to ourselves. "What kind of noise, Charmy?"

"How should I know?" Charmy asks, shrugging his shoulders carelessly. "I've never used this thing before."

"Alright," I sigh reluctantly, hoping that the jewel detector isn't too loud. Fixing Vector with a hard stare, I add, "You can carry the jewel detector around. My arms are falling off from carrying it around earlier."

"I can carry it no problem," Vector remarks, picking up the jewel detector as if it is as light as a feather.

The three of us start our second search for the Chaos Emerald, hoping to have more luck than yesterday considering the fact that we have the jewel detector with us today. Unfortunately, things don't start out so well. Vector, Charmy, and I make our way up and down the beach but don't catch sight of anything shiny or blue. At first, hunting down the jewel is fun, but after long hours of trudging around in the sand, all of us are tired and just want to collapse. The jewel detector hasn't reacted to anything and the Chaos Emerald is still missing.

Probably the most frustrated out of us all, Vector throws down the jewel detector and asks in a loud voice, "What's wrong with this thing?"

"Nothing is wrong with it. There's really no need to shout," I point out, sensing the gaze of sunbathing hedgehogs on us. One of the girls takes off her sunglasses and sends me a flirtatious smile. I turn bright pink and immediately turn away from her, whispering to Vector, "I'm sure that we're just not looking hard enough."

"Oh yeah? We've searched the damn beach three times already today! Where the hell else could it be?" Vector asks, looking like he wants to kick the jewel detector.

I have to admit that I have no answer for him. At least, not at first. I think for a moment before replying logically, "Well, perhaps we're just not looking in the right places. The jewel may not be buried in the sand after all."

"Where else would it be then?" Vector asks in puzzlement before sending the water a hesitant look and adding, "At the bottom of the ocean?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of somewhere above our heads," I reply, squinting against the sun and scanning the horizon. There are several palm trees that tower above our heads. Is it possible that the Chaos Emerald could be in one of them? Turning to Charmy, I ask the little bee, "Do you think that you could bring the jewel detector up into the air with you and search the trees for the Chaos Emerald? I know that the jewel detector is heavy, so if you'd rather not bring it along, that's fine too."

"Don't worry! I'm strong. I can handle it," Charmy reassures me, puffing out his chest proudly as he picks the jewel detector up without too much of a problem. I feel a little ashamed noticing that he has an even easier time carrying the silver machine around than me.

"Be careful!" I call up to him as he flies into the air, quickly becoming a little speck.

Vector and I watch Charmy disappear before turning to face each other. Vector wastes no time in plopping down on the sand, looking completely exhausted. Wiping his brow, he mutters, "I dunno about you, but I didn't realize that this detective work was gonna be so hard."

"We shouldn't be resting right now," I chastise Vector, not exactly the happiest with him despite his oath not to steal anything else from me. "We need to keep looking for the Chaos Emerald."

"You look. I'm beat," Vector replies, falling back onto the sand and closing his eyes.

A bit irritated that Vector is slacking off already, I shrug my shoulders and take to searching the beach on my own. That same girl hedgehog from before catches my eye again and stands up, looking like she's about to walk over to me! Too shy to hold a conversation with a teenager, I quickly retreat to where Vector is still lying motionless in the sand. Just then, a whiz of color comes plummeting toward us from the sky.

Beep, beep, beep! I hear the jewel detector before I actually see it. Charmy flies in front of me a moment later, practically bouncing up and down as he exclaims, "I did it! I found the Chaos Emerald!"

* * *

_Yay, Charmy found the emerald...but he doesn't have it with him. :P Where do you think that it is? Review please! :)  
_


	19. Chapter XIX

**Regular sonic fan: I know, right? I would feel weird and probably creeped out if someone was staring at me like that too! At least Espio is forgiving though. :) That's good that you haven't had to take strong pills before. They can be really addictive, believe me. =/ No, I don't think that's weird at all! In fact, it actually makes sense now that I think about it. *nods* I'm glad that you don't remember your past thing if it makes things easier. *hugs you again* We'll be hugging, crazy buds for life! How was your Saturday? :)  
**

**Fangirl-time: I don't think that anyone can resist Espio's charm to be quite honest! I'm so glad that you loved the chapter! And yes, I love Sonjet, it's awesome! I actually support many, many Sonic couples! Would you like me to list them for you? I have a long list, hehe.  
**

**andypandy123: I know, right? I wish that life was just a piece of cake, but then again, don't we all? It's a shame how some of us get diseases or have pressuring parents or just other shit. All we can do is make the best of it, right? I completely understand how you feel about moving out. I'm glad that I moved out, it's just, well, I'm not sure if I can handle the whole eating disorder thing on my own. I guess we'll just have to wait and see. But enough about me, I'm glad that your gran is like mine. :) It's good that you're doing instrument practice because that's what you're most interested in, right? And wow, English lit sounds really hard!  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: Nope, that gives me a perfect look at your taste in gaming! Let me just say that I think that you have excellent taste! It's good to see that you like Mario as well. I'm a huge Mario fan. Are there any particular Mario games that you like?  
**

**noobheadz: I never actually played Sonic '06 either. I just watched the cut scenes and thought that it was pretty neat. Mephiles is what really grabbed my attention from that game. That's a really interesting idea about Silver being Amy and Shadow's kid! I think that you did just give yourself an idea for a fanfic! Are you a ShadowxAmy supporter then? Your icon is nice, but I don't recognize that character. Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Savvy0417: Awesome! We agree on Shadamy then! *high fives you* You know, I suppose that I could maybe do a story sometime on it in the future. I'm probably going to be into the Sonic fandom for a long time and I love messing around with different Sonic pairings for fun, you know?  
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**Bluemist45: I agree with you there! Those Chaos Emeralds sure do cause a lot of trouble, don't they? Hope you like this chapter!  
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**alienschnitzelblast: Espio is pretty awesome, isn't he? How can anyone not like a ninja? Glad to hear that you still think that the story is awesome! Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
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**Guest: I'm glad that you liked the confrontation bit from the last chapter! At least Espio is slowly learning that Vector does care for him. And lol, it is funny that Charmy has an easier time carrying the jewel detector around than Espio. I can totally relate to that because I can barely pick up five pound objects, haha. I'm in agreement with you on drunk Vector. He was such a source of drama and tension from the original version of this that it would be hard to do this story without him to be quite honest. So I guess that I can say that you'll be seeing drunk Vector by the end of this story. :P Thanks for commenting!  
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**Villains' Bad Girl: You could try relaxation music or nature sound CDs maybe? I know it sounds stupid, but I've been listening to those kinds of things a lot lately to help me relax.  
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**crazyshine: That would be really funny if the hedgehog girl had the Chaos Emerald! Poor Espio is very shy. He gets very embarrassed in this next chapter! Thanks for catching up and for your reviews!  
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**Ersiffa Narman: Hey there! Aw, I'm glad that it means a lot to you! You'll have to let me know if you end up getting them in September, okay? *crosses my fingers for you* I know what you mean, it's never fun when Espy and Veccy quarrel, but at least Espio is a fast forgiver, right? Thanks for hoping that I had a good day. I've been a bit panicky for some reason. How was your day?  
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**Saints-Fan-12: Haha, that is so true! Then again, Espio might volunteer to climb the palm tree, you never know! Thanks so much for reading this!  
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**bearvalley3365: That's awesome to hear that you really like this story! *high fives you* You'll find out where the Chaos Emerald went in this chapter! I hope that you like it!  
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**Mysterious: Same thoughts here about Bartleby! His voice is horrible! He sounds all posh and stuck up. And omg, his hair! *shivers* I feel bad for anyone who runs into him as well as Dingo. :P Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

**zgirl16: You love Mephadow that much? Awesome! I was thinking about writing a fanfic on it in the future actually. Would you be interested in that at all? And hehe, well, all fics have to start somewhere. Good luck on yours!  
**

* * *

**Chapter XIX  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

Even Charmy's excited words don't seem to have any effect on Vector, who is still lying flat on his back in the sand with his eyes resolutely closed. Frustrated, I send him a light kick with my sneaker and then return to the overexcited bee hovering by my shoulder. Two things occur to me. The first thing is that although Charmy claims to have found the Chaos Emerald, he doesn't have it with him. This can only mean that although Charmy has found the Chaos Emerald, it's in a difficult spot to reach. Of course the process of finding a Chaos Emerald can't be easy.

"Where is the emerald, Charmy?" I ask, hoping that it's not in too hard of a place to get to. "I'm assuming that you weren't able to reach it or you experienced other complications?"

"Huh?" Vector asks, suddenly jerking upward and scratching his head as he looks up at us from where he's sitting in the sand and asks, "What's goin' on? Did someone find the Chaos Emerald?"

Charmy and I exchange a look and roll our eyes at each other. Charmy nods and replies, "Yeah, I told you that ten minutes ago, Vector! Anyway, you're right, Espio. It's trapped between two coconuts in that palm tree to our right. I tried to reach it, but even after I grabbed it, it wouldn't come loose! It's stuck!"

"Let me at it!" Vector says without thinking, abruptly hauling his large scaly figure to his feet before tramping over to the palm tree and staring up at it, saying, "Ol' Vector can get anything loose. Just watch this!"

"Um, Vector? How exactly do you plan on getting up that tree?" I ask disdainfully, knowing that Vector will never make it up the tree no matter what he does. I step forward and pass him, putting a hand on his chest and pushing him aside arrogantly as I come to stand in front of the tree. "I believe that this is a job for myself. You two can wait for me down here and catch the emerald when I toss it down to you so that we don't lose it again. We've already spent far too much time searching for the jewel. Are you both ready?"

"Sure am!" Charmy nods vigorously, flying up next to the palm tree and opening his palms so he can be ready to catch the emerald at any second.

"'Course I am. When am I _not_ ready?" Vector boasts pridefully, taking his stance next to Charmy.

I decide not to comment on Vector's question. The only way that Vector will happen to catch the emerald is if it falls down and hits him smack on the face. Otherwise, I'm relying on Charmy to retrieve the shiny gem. Without too much trouble, I grab the rough trunk of the palm tree and latch my fingers into the grooves of the tree. Once I am able to maintain my balance against the side of the palm tree, climbing up it is a simple manner. I easily slink up the palm tree and reach the top of it within minutes.

Looking above myself, I see a large mound of coconuts and several glossy green leaves. I sneak between two of the leaves and poke my head above the immense palm tree. My stomach knots painfully inside of me when I look down and notice that Charmy and Vector look like ants from here. I didn't realize that this palm tree is quite so tall!

Telling myself not to worry about unhelpful things, I return my focus to the mission at hand and glance at the mound of hairy coconuts clustered together at the top of the palm tree. Just like Charmy told me earlier, a bright blue gem is twinkling at me from between two of the coconuts.

Doing my best to be careful - after all, these leaves are a bit slippery - I slink forward until I'm crouching above the mound of coconuts. Reaching toward the sapphire jewel, I place both hands on it and tug. Nothing happens. Gritting my teeth, I tug on it even harder. Still nothing happens. This really_ is_ a job for Vector. It's a shame he isn't more..._light on his feet_.

I take a momentary rest before giving the coconuts a murderous look. I am going to get the jewel out from between them if it's the last thing that I do! Team Chaotix is counting on me to get this job done. If I can't get the jewel loose, Vector will probably suggest something stupid like hiring a helicopter to bring him up here so that he can retrieve the Chaos Emerald. Needless to say, it would cost us all of our pay and more to hire a helicopter for a job like this.

Determined to get the jewel loose this time, I put all of my strength into tugging it loose. Yes! I feel the jewel shift slightly this time. Yanking at it harder, I manage to spring the Chaos Emerald free of the mound of coconuts. However, the effort of doing this throws me extremely off balance. The Chaos Emerald flies from my hand and starts the long descent down, down, down...

No idea where the gem is going to end up, I lean forward and try to grab it. The jewel misses my hand by millimeters. Suddenly, I lose my footing and lurch forward. It's impossible to keep my footing on this slippery palm leaf and I fly forward into the air.

"Damn," I groan as the sudden rush of air sucks my breath away.

Falling head over heels, I crash downward with my eyes squeezed shut. Climbing, going invisible, and running are things that ninjas can do. Falling several feet through the air, however, is not part of my job description! I don't like heights and I don't like falling. Knowing Vector and Charmy, they'll have their sights set on the jewel and won't see me when I come crashing to the ground. I certainly hope that I don't break anything. A chameleon's body, mine especially, tends to be very fragile. Our bones are delicate and need to be treated carefully.

I wait for the inevitable bone-shattering smack that will occur when I hit the ground. Surprisingly enough, it never comes. Instead, strong, secure arms wrap around my body and I'm brought close to warm scales. I dare to open one eye and come face to face with Vector. My jaw drops. I would never have guessed that Vector would be the one to catch me.

"I got ya, Esp!" Vector tells me as if I might still be worried about falling. His expression is one of crocodile concern as he asks, "Are yeh alright? That was a long fall."

"I-I think that I'm fine," I stammer, glad that I didn't eat any breakfast this morning or else I would have thrown it all up by now. Blushing at still being in the crocodile's arms, I add, "Thank you for catching me. I figured that you would be looking for the Chaos Emerald instead. You saved me from breaking my neck or worse."

"I saw ya and the emerald at about the same time," Vector admits. "But my best buddy means a lot more to me than some stupid jewel even if findin' it is gonna mean makin' the rent. Are ya sure that yer alright? Ya look pretty shakin' up, not like I blame ya or anything."

Feeling rather touched that Vector considers me worth more than the emerald, I nod and reply, "Yes. ...You can put me down now, Vector."

"Oh, right," Vector replies, now blushing himself as he gently sets me down on the ground.

I try to take one step forward, but my legs feel like jelly after the shock of the fall and refuse to support me. My knees buckle and I end up on the ground. How embarrassing! Just then, Charmy comes flying up to us and presents a shimmering blue gem in his hand, exclaiming, "Look! I caught the Chaos Emerald!"

I quickly try to get back to my feet and manage to hold my balance for about two seconds as I reply, "Good work, Charmy. Now all we have to do is find Rouge."

My legs shudder as I attempt to take another step forward and I land on the ground once again. Charmy looks at me in concern and offers me his free hand, asking, "What happened to you?"

Before I can take Charmy's hand, Vector waves Charmy aside and strides toward me, explaining, "He took quite a tumble from the top of the palm tree. Guess there's only one thing ta do now."

Charmy and I both stare at Vector blankly, neither of us knowing what he's referring to. Leaning down, Vector scoops me back up into his arms and holds me against his chest like he did earlier. My cheeks flame bright red and my whole body flushes. There is no way that I am letting Vector carry me around like this!

"Vector, put me down! This is embarrassing!" I exclaim, pushing half-heartedly on his chest in an attempt to get him to put me down.

"No can do," Vector replies a-matter-of-factly as he takes a step forward. "Yer clearly no good on yer feet right now."

Charmy giggles loudly, thinking that this whole situation is funny. I, on the other hand, couldn't be any more mortified with Vector carrying me around the beach like this! What does everyone looking at us think? I decide that I'd prefer not to know. Trying to put up a bit more of a fight, I protest, "Please put me down! I'll never get past the shame of being carried around by you all day long!"

"Sorry, but I don't got a choice," Vector says, not looking too sorry about the predicament as the three of us start away from the beach together. I can still hear Charmy's incessant giggling in the background as Vector adds, "Don't fight me, Esp. It won't do ya any good."

Vector has a point. I'll never break free of him no matter what I do. Vector's chest muscles are as hard as rocks and the arms that he's using to carry me in are so very strong compared to my stick-like arms and legs and the soft, slight curves of the rest of my body. Still though, I don't like being carried and can't help but worrying about falling. Mainly so that I don't have to see the countless people who are no doubt staring at us, I turn my face to Vector's chest and use the tip of my tail to wrap around his wrist so that I can feel more secure. This time it's Vector's turn to chuckle. I can feel the vibration from his firm, scaly chest. It's a very odd sensation to say the least.

"So which way is it to Rouge's place?" Charmy pipes up, informing me that we are officially out of the beach and on the street now.

There's a long silence during which nobody answers Charmy. I smack my forehead, realizing that Vector probably has no idea where Rouge lives. What did she say about contacting her once we found the jewel? Oh right, she told Vector that she left her number on his phone. Since Vector doesn't seem to know how his voice mail system works, I'm confident that he hasn't deleted the voice mail yet.

"Rouge left her phone number on your telephone, Vector," I inform the crocodile. "We ought to go to your apartment and get that number. You'll call Rouge and then we'll find a place to meet her."

"Sounds like a plan!" Vector agrees, starting across the street to his apartment building, which thankfully isn't too far away. "Yer a genius, Esp!"

"No. I just try and use my head," I reply, deciding to risk a glance up at Vector, dry amusement written all over my face.

Surprisingly enough, Vector is looking down at me when I decide to look up at him. My amber eyes meet his brown ones and I find that Vector is sending me an almost affection smile. My lips curve upward in slightly ironic smile as I stare the clumsy, yet kind-hearted crocodile. I shake my head at him as I murmur, "Oh, Vector..."

"We're here! Wow, this door is heavy," Charmy grunts as he tries to push open the heavy door that leads to the lobby of Vector's apartment.

Charmy's words break off the moment that Vector and I were sharing and snaps up back to the present. I look down again and Vector reaches out to handle the sticky doorknob. Feeling unstable being supported with only one hand, I wrap my tail tighter around Vector's wrist. Vector smirks and pushes the door open easily. For once, I'm glad for the darkness of the apartment lobby. At least nobody can see the awkward scene of a large crocodile carrying around a small chameleon in the dim lighting.

We find the elevator in the darkness and travel up to Vector's cluttered apartment room. Luckily, there is no one else around to see us in the hallway and I don't have any more need to feel embarrassed. Unfortunately, my humiliation is not over quite yet. When Vector enters the room, he strides right over to his desk and plops down on the chair behind it. Instead of setting me on the bed or somewhere decent, Vector sets me down right on his lap out of all places!

"Vector!" I protest, giving him an incredulous look. "This is...this is..."

I can't find a word bad enough to describe sitting on Vector's lap and trail off wordlessly. Charmy giggles and points out, "I saw a couple on TV doing that the other day! The girl was sitting on the guy's lap."

"Well, Vector and I most certainly are _not_ a couple!" I state firmly, trying to push Vector's arms away from me as I struggle to get free of him. Narrowing my eyes, I add to Charmy, "What TV show were you watching anyway?"

Vector ignores my attempt to get free of him and sends me a snarky smile as he dials Rouge's phone number into the phone. Charmy stammers for a moment before he grins sheepishly and says, "Sorry, can't tell you now. Vector's on the phone."

Oh dear. I'm surrounded by a hyperactive bee who knows just how to manipulate me and a large crocodile who insists on smothering me. What is this world coming to?

* * *

_Oh god, poor Esp! Is it just me or does Vector enjoy carrying him around a bit TOO much? Review please! :)  
_


	20. Chapter XX

**Regular sonic fan: I'm glad to hear that the last chapter made you laugh! That is so true though, I mean, who wouldn't want to carry Espio around? :P I hate it when people stare at me too. It makes me feel like something is wrong with me. That's great to hear that you rarely get sick. I get sick all of the time. It's really annoying. At least your mom is off of the pills now. I dunno if I'll ever be able to get off of mine. Ikr? It is practically canon. *nods* I'm sorry to hear that your weekend was dull! Mine wasn't so great either to be quite honest. Hope you like this chapter!  
**

**Fangirl-time: I'm so glad to hear that you thought that the last chapter was cute! Vector does need to fall out of love with Vanilla and into love with Espio, doesn't he? xD Okay, so here is my long list of favorite pairings: VectorxEspio, SonicxJet, ScourgexFiona, ScourgexRosy, ScourgexManic, ScourgexSonic, JetxWave, ManicxSonic, ManicxRosy, KnucklesxRouge, MephilesxShadow, MephilesxSilver, ShadowxMaria, and I think that is it for now. xD What do you think of those pairings? :P  
**

**andypandy123: Yeah, I have that feeling a lot of the time. I became a Christian recently because, okay, to be quite honest, I'm afraid that the eating disorder will kill me, and if there is a heaven, I want to go there. That makes sense about your parents wanting you to go to a college where there are connections nearby that you could stay with. And oh my god, your grandma would actually get wi-fi installed for you? Now that's pretty amazing! My grandma doesn't really get computers, so she's not too concerned about the wi-fi thing. :P That's pretty awesome that you study music so much. It just shows how dedicated you really are to it, you know? I don't blame you for not understanding the course work; rushing never helps.  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: I totally see what you're saying there. Sonic games seems to have more depth or something to them, you know? Do you have any particular favorite Sonic games? Super Paper Mario always stood out to me for some reason when it comes to Mario, but that's just me probably.  
**

**noobheadz: That's just what I was thinking about Vector. :P That was a good idea to watch a review for Sonic '06. I tend to watch reviews of things before I actually buy the games. Do you ever do that? Ah, BlazexSilver is a pretty common pairing. Do you support any other ones besides for it and Shadamy? Lol, I guess that neither of us know the character on your icon's name then! xD Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Savvy0417: I feel sorry for poor Espio having to feel all embarrassed too. That's never fun. :( I'm glad that you're excited for the new story! I'm still working out a plot for it though. What made you start shipping Shadamy?  
**

**Fully Eroded: Ugh, new servers always suck! Fanfic was running super slow on my computer and was driving me crazy earlier. Is it working any better for you now? I'm so sorry that you have food poisoning! *hugs you* I tend to have a lot of stomach issues, so I understand completely. I hope that you feel better very soon! Thanks for the kind review!  
**

**LusayLu182: Yeah, I know exactly what you mean. :P Vector seems to be going a little overboard, doesn't he? Let me know what you think of this chapter!**

**Guest: It's great to hear how much you enjoyed the last chapter, especially with the detail of Espio questioning Charmy about the show that he was watching. That little chameleon never lets his guard down, does he? I'm glad to hear that you're looking forward to the section with drunk Vector! I really do hope that it will be just as gripping if not more intense than last time! Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: Thanks. :) I've been kind of panicky lately. No, I haven't found any job openings yet.  
**

**Mickfang27: Hehe, I would really love to be held by Vector too or get to sit on his lap! That would be awesome. Glad to hear that you love how much I'm updating this story. I'll try to keep up the frequent updates. Charmy is pretty manipulative for his age, isn't he? He's one smart little bee, that's for sure. Thank you so much for reading this!  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hi! Yeah, poor Esp tends to have a lot of problems in this story now that I think of it (all due to the evil author, haha). I'm so sorry that your walkman broke! Do you think that you'll be able to get a new one? I practically cried when my mp3 broke. I get sort of panicky because of my health issues and sometimes I get anxiety attacks. Thanks for asking about it though, it's nice to know that someone cares. Hope today is better for you!  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: I also think that Vector enjoys carrying Espio around! He seems to try and find excuses to do it. Thanks for your review! :D  
**

**bearvalley3365: Yeah, exactly, who would have known? Surprises in stories are always good though, right? I actually have no idea what that abbreviation means. Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**Mysterious: Hehe, sounds like you have a good plan for Dingo and Bartleby! *high fives you* Who's your least favorite Sonic character? Glad to hear that you liked the chapter!  
**

**zgirl16: Awesome! I'm glad to hear that you would read my Mephadow fanfic! *high fives you* So you like the idea of Mephilver too? I actually used to really not like it, but then I saw some cute Mephilver pics that got me into the pairing. xD Does that ever happen to you?  
**

* * *

**Chapter XX  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

I'm trapped sitting on Vector's lap while Charmy flies around the apartment and explores it curiously. Unlike me, this is the first time that Charmy has ever visited Vector's apartment. I'm quite positive that Vector hasn't bothered cleaning since the last time that I came here. There are empty sports drink bottles tossed carelessly in the corners of the room, there is a layer of dust upon all of the wooden surfaces, and there is a new layer of grime on the carpet. If it gets any filthier in here, someone is going to have to call an exterminator to get rid of all of the muck!

Charmy, however, does not seem to care about the clutter in Vector's apartment room. Instead, he seems content to fly around and explore the new area. He hovers next to the nightstand by Vector's unmade bed and starts going through the pile of things on the nightstand. I see more empty bottles, candy wrappers, pizza crusts, and oh, what's that? I catch a glimpse of an image that Charmy should most certainly _not_ be looking at. A mound of magazines, most likely all of them filed with porn, are hidden underneath the mess.

"Charmy?" I whisper, trying not to distract Vector since he's on the phone. "Will you come over here for a moment?"

Charmy either chooses to ignore me or genuinely can't hear me. I'd like to think that he doesn't come over to me because of the second option although I'm not quite sure since Charmy did hesitate when he heard me calling his name. In the background, I hear Vector blabbing on the phone, "Hey Rouge. Yeah, this is Vector speakin'. We found yer jewel and we need to know how to get it to yeh."

I usually try not to bother anyone when they're on the telephone, but this is an emergency. Elbowing Vector in the ribs, I hiss, "Vector!"

"Huh? Uh, can ya hold on a sec, ma'am? Looks like Esp's got somethin' to tell me," Vector practically shouts into the phone, his voice too loud as always probably due to the fact that he never bothers to take off his headphones or turn down his music. Raising an eyebrow at me and holding the phone away from his big mouth, Vector asks, "Whassup, Esp?"

"Perhaps you'd like to keep your magazines in a _less obvious place_?" I emphasis, nodding indiscreetly in Charmy's direction. He's almost gotten through the pile of junk and is going to be scarred for life pretty soon here if Vector doesn't move those damn magazines!

"Say what?" Vector asks blankly before he looks over at Charmy. Finally, comprehension crosses Vector's face and he immediately stands up and barrels across the room, dropping me onto the floor in the process. Waving his arms in the air, Vector shouts, "Charmy! Get away from that stuff!"

Taken off guard, Charmy jerks backward in surprise at Vector's sudden rage. In his hurry to cross the room, Vector trips over a sports drink bottle and lands face first on the ground with a loud smack. He groans loudly while Charmy giggles in the background. I feel slightly satisfied that Vector got a taste of his own medicine after dumping me onto the floor only moments earlier.

"Geez, Vector! Why do you want me away from your stuff so badly? Is there something secretive over here?" Charmy asks, always looking for a way to put his detective skills to use.

"Argh," Vector moans as he tries to force himself back to his feet. The clumsy crocodile shoots Charmy a glare and says, "Can't yeh just sit still and stay outta trouble fer two seconds?!"

"Sure, Vector," Charmy replies, noticing that now is not a good time to press his luck with the hotheaded crocodile.

I can't help but smirk at Vector as he tramps across the room once more. He sends me a disgruntled look and asks in annoyance, "What?"

"Well, you did kind of deserve that for dumping me onto the floor," I point out, my lip curling as I notice Charmy trying to sneak back to the nightstand to get a glimpse of whatever he's been forbidden to look at. I glare at him and call out, "Charmy!"

Seeing that he's been caught, Charmy's cheeks turn red and he hesitates in midair before pretending that he was going to go look out the window instead. I roll my eyes at him. Sometimes kids can be such pains! Hoping that Vector can hurry up and finish the phone call so that we can get into a "safer" environment, I'm completely caught off guard and end up squeaking when I feel arms pick me up from behind and drag me up into the air before setting me down on tough scales. I'm back in Vector's lap.

"Vector!" I snap, pounding against his chest in irritation. "I'm fine now! Let me go!"

"Sorry, Esp, but I gotta make sure that yer alright," Vector apologizes. "Just sit back and let ol' Vector take care of yeh."

Charmy looks away from the window and starts staring and Vector and me instead. Apparently, we're more interesting than whatever is outside of the window. I grunt in annoyance and cross my arms over my chest, the look on my face one of severe displeasure as I listen absentmindedly for Vector to finish his call with Rouge.

"Alright then, ma'am. Yeah, I know where that is. Wait, are we _what_?" Vector exclaims into the phone, looking rather shocked before he chuckles and adds, "Noooo, we ain't have World War III over here. Espio just keeps screamin' at Charmy cuz he's gettin' into trouble and he's screaming at me cuz I'm makin' him sit on my lap. Er...it's kinda a long story."

Charmy giggles and whispers to me, "Does it really sound like we're starting a world war in here?"

Smacking my forehead with my palm, I shake my head and refuse to answer Charmy's question. If I wasn't so embarrassed and flushing bright red, I would have tried to make myself go invisible. Vector goes on, "Ya don't wanna hear the whole story? Yeah, okay, that's probably a good thing. We'll see ya in a few minutes, Rouge."

Vector finally hangs up the phone and I huff in annoyance, "Were we really being that loud?"

Vector shrugs as if he could care less and then points out, "Well, yeah, we were sorta makin' a racket with ya tryin' to get my attention and screamin' at Charmy."

"What? You think that this was my fault?" I reply, finding it ironic that Vector wants to blame the situation on me. "You are the one with inappropriate magazines just lying around for anyone to read!"

"Yeah, well, who gives a damn?" Vector shrugs carelessly.

"I do!" I shriek, bringing our argument to a peak as I stab a finger at Vector's chest and say, "I have a right to keep Charmy guarded from all of this obscenity and we all have a reputation to hold up to now that we're working together as Team Chaotix!"

Vector and I glare at each other, both of us breathing heavily. Out hots breaths intermingle and our red cheeks flame passionately at the intensity of our disagreement. Suddenly, Vector's expression relaxes into something that looks more like an affectionate grimace. His lids close halfway and he stands up with me still tucked into the crook of his arm, pointing out serenely, "Yer real cute when ya argue with me, Esp. Make sure yeh argue a lot with the girl that I set you up with."

"Vector! I. Am. Not. Seeing. Any. Girl!" I burst out in separate words to make my point very clear before I add, "Won't you set me down already? This is getting ridiculous."

"That was one of the weirdest arguments that I've ever heard before," Charmy points out randomly as he flies to the apartment room door and pushes it open before saving me from Vector as he adds, "You really should put Espio down now. He's probably okay to walk again."

"Fine," Vector resigns, setting me down lightly onto the ground. I brush myself off and start to take a step forward when Vector suddenly grabs my hand a little too tightly and adds, "I'm gonna hold yer hand though just to make sure yeh don't fall over again."

"Oh, for god's sake..." I mutter under my breath as Vector starts towing me along down the hallway. Deciding to change the subject as we pile up in the elevator, I ask, "Where does Rouge want us to meet her?"

"Just by the waterfall in front of the mall again. She shoulda just said that the last time that we met up. It would have saved us a phone call," Vector replies as we travel toward the apartment lobby.

"And a lot of embarrassment," I add under my breath, shooting Vector a long look from under my eyelids. Suddenly a thought occurs to me and I speak up, "Someone actually has the Chaos Emerald with them, right?"

"Uh huh! It's right here, boss," Charmy replies, lifting the shimmering blue gem into the air.

I sigh with relief. It would have figured that the three of us would have shown up to meet Rouge without the Chaos Emerald with us. If something can go wrong for Team Chaotix, it will most certainly go awry. Luckily, the three of us make our way out of the apartment and to the waterfall in front of the mall without any more major mishaps. It's shaped up to be a very nice day outside. The sun is shining, the sky is clear, and a soft breeze wafts around us. Rouge is standing in front of the waterfall with her hip jutted out in a raunchy manner and with a secretive smirk on her face. I notice her eying Vector's and my clasped hands. I try to yank my hand out of Vector's hand, but Vector just tightens his grip on it. Damn that crocodile.

"Hey there, Rouge!" Vector exclaims, eager at the prospect of getting some money. He grabs the gem out of Charmy's hand and practically throws it at Rouge, crying, "We found yer gem!"

Rouge catches it and smiles in satisfaction as she slowly turns the gem over in her palm. Nodding, she replies, "So you did. I have to admit that I was a little hesitant to give your team a call, but it turns out that you did quite a good job at finding me my Chaos Emerald. I suppose that I'd better pay up unless you would rather have that kiss that I offered you?"

"We want the money," I state dryly before Vector can accept less than what we bargained for.

"Fine then," Rouge replies, tossing a check into the air and watching in amusement as Vector scrambles to catch it. Her eyes flick from me back over to Vector as she continues on, "It must be nice having a boyfriend who's so protective of you, hm?"

"Wha-?!" I start out, pulling myself up to my full height indignantly. "Vector and I are most certainly_ not_ boyfriends!"

"Sure you're not," Rouge replies smoothly, a knowing look crossing her face as she adds, "Just like how I presume you weren't really sitting on Vector's lap earlier."

"Haha, very funny, ma'am," Vector laughs sort of uncomfortably before linking his arm through mine and forcibly dragging me away from Rouge before I can do something evil to her. "It was a pleasure doin' business with ya. If ya ever need any more assistance, give Team Chaotix a call."

"Will do," Rouge replies before turning and sauntering off. "See you around town, boys."

As soon as Rouge disappears from sight, I burst out in an outrage, "How could that bat possibly think that we might be...I can't even say the word!"

"Oy, calm down, Esp! She just meant it as a joke, that's all," Vector says, poking my shoulder playfully. "Yeh take everythin' way too seriously."

"Vector's right, Espio," Charmy nods, his innocent little mind not understanding the situation. "After all, you couldn't be Vector's boyfriend because you're both guys. I think that the bat lady has a few too many screws loose. Um, Espio? Can I have ten dollars? Please?"

I hesitate. I really need the money to pay the monthly rent and I also wanted to replace my glass bowl that Vector so carelessly broke just the other day. However, if I happen to have one weakness, that weak point is certainly Charmy. The way that he's looking at me with big, pleading eyes and a hopeful smile on his face is too much for me. I know that I'm turning soft, but I already know that I'm going to have to at least give him a little bit of money. If I don't, I'll feel selfish all day long.

"Very well," I sigh to Charmy. "You may have ten dollars, but don't ask for any more."

"Yippee!" Charmy exclaims excitedly before flying over to me and throwing his arms around my neck, causing me to wobble back and forth. In fact, I most likely would have fallen again if Vector had not been holding my hand. Charmy plants a smooch on my cheek and adds, "You're the best, Espio!"

Vector chuckles and snickers, "Guess yer glad that I'm holdin' yer hand after all, huh?"

"Hmph," I reply, never going to admit that I don't really mind Vector holding my hand so much. It makes me feel cared for - a feeling that I've never had during my entire life. The thing that I don't like about the hand holding is that it gives off a rather awkward, untrue vibe about the two of us. We are most certainly not a couple!

Charmy starts humming in a terribly off-key voice as he flies back to the house that the two of us share. Vector and I trail after him at a slower pace, neither of us feeling the need to race back to the house like Charmy. By now, it's gotten a bit late and it's almost evening. I start planning out the rest of my night. I'll have to make dinner for Charmy, clean the floors, and then perhaps read a book before bed.

"Here we are!" Charmy exclaims, coming to an abrupt halt in front of the doorway. He flies down and tries the doorknob, but it won't budge. Rolling his eyes at me, he points out, "You locked the door again, Espio. I don't know why you bother locking the doors during the day. It's not like anyone ever steals around here."

Pulling out the key to the house from inside of my glove - that's where I always keep the keys - I unlock the door and reply evenly, "It's always best to be cautious."

The door swings open and Charmy starts to fly inside of it before he stops and turns back to Vector. A sad expression crosses his face as he asks me, "Does this mean that Vector has to go now?"

I turn to look at Vector as well. To my surprise, the tough crocodile actually looks a bit sad. For once, I imagine myself in his shoes. He doesn't have any family to go home to or anything to look forward to seeing in his dingy apartment room.

Not sure what's gotten into me or why I'm suddenly being nice to Vector, I ask, "Vector, how would you like to spend the evening with Charmy and me? I was thinking about ordering a pizza."

"I LOVE PIZZA!" Charmy yells excitedly.

"Ya really mean it, Esp?" Vector asks, his brown eyes lighting up with shocked surprise. I nod, getting a warm feeling inside. Vector nods fervently and takes a step forward, "I'd love to stay fer the evening!"

* * *

_Hm, how do you think that the evening will go? Review please! :) Also, I put up a new poll, so if you guys happen to vote on it, that would be awesome!  
_


	21. Chapter XXI

**Regular sonic fan: Aw, you're actually tearing up from the last chapter? I'm glad to hear that you liked it so much! *hands you a tissue* Same here, I get really paranoid and feel like people are making fun of me when they stare at me too! You're so lucky that you've never had to be hospitalized before. I've had a lot of bad experiences with hospitals. It is kind of awful to have to rely on pills, but I'm grateful for them in a sense because they help me with my anxiety, which I have a lot of right now. Glad to hear that you loved the chapter!  
**

**Fangirl-time: I haven't read a lot of the Sonic comics sadly, but I liked the ones that I did happen to read! Do you like Sonic comics? And yay, another fan of Shadow x Maria! Awesome! *high fives you*  
**

**andypandy123: Thanks. I just kind of hope that if there is a heaven, I'll go there someday. Are you a Christian too if you don't mind my asking? You should definitely go to whatever college or university that you think is best for you. Do you have some places in mind already? :) Your grandma is super nice! You're lucky to have her. Committing yourself to your goals is always good. I try to commit myself to writing as much as I can.  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: I absolutely love Adventure 2 and Heroes! Those are some of my all time favorite Sonic games. I've actually never played Generations or Unleashed before although I wish that I had. What's your favorite team to play as in Heroes?  
**

**noobheadz: That's a really funny picture of Charmy that you have in your head! It's making me smile, haha. It's good to know that I'm not the only one who watches games and looks at reviews before buying them. And oh my god, I love Super Mario Galaxy! Are you a fan of that game? It's one of my favorite Mario games. Also, how'd you end up with two copies of it if you don't mind my asking? :P Thanks for the comment!  
**

**Toni the Mink: Yay, that bit with Espio falling out of the tree and getting carried around by Vector was your favorite part, I take it? It was a pretty cute scene and I really enjoyed writing that bit. :D More fluff/happy feelings coming up in this chapter! You know, it is fun to read about Espio getting embarrassed, isn't it? Esp, why do you have to be so fun to embarrass all of the time? And it's okay. xD Everyone's talking about anime, but I'm still a little clueless on it, haha. Thanks for taking the time to comment!**

**Savvy0417: You can already see where this is going? Wow, someone is good at predictions then! *high fives you* I actually really like the whole Sonamy versus Shadamy love triangle. It makes a good plot for fics, you know? But I agree that Shadamy is the better of the two pairings!  
**

**Fully Eroded: Hm, I really don't know what color Vector's eyes are! Everyone says that I'm colorblind, so I really couldn't tell you. I'm so sorry that you got slugged in the face. *hugs you tightly* I'm feeling ill tonight as well, so that makes two of us. Know that you're never alone at least, okay? I'll make sure to give Esp a kiss for you! Thanks for the review. :)  
**

**Chibi-Guest: I know what you mean about reviewing taking a lot of effort. :P I'm glad to hear that you read my chapters everyday though! I really hope that they can cheer you up at the very least! Are there any particular reasons why you've been feeling down lately if you don't mind my asking? It is cute how Vector carries Esp around, isn't it? I'm glad that you don't get sick very much. Thanks for wanting to take care of me. *hugs you* I could just some care right now! Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Guest: I'm glad that you liked the last chapter and thought that the argument between Vector and Espio was funny. xD Let's hope that the evening ends up going well for them. *crosses fingers* Sleet is one of the main villains from Sonic Underground. I think that he's supposed to be like a wolf or a coyote maybe? Have you ever seen Sonic Underground before? Thanks for reading!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: I'm struggling with eating again and I'm getting a little nervous about my weight. *hugs*  
**

**crazyshine: Rouge is too much sometimes, isn't she? She's a crazy bat girl. xD Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hey there! Ooo, that's awesome that you're planning on getting a stereo for Christmas! I take it that you're really looking forward to that? :) Going on a liquid diet is an interesting thought. So would I drink like health shakes and eat soaps and stuff? I never really considered that before. Sorry that your Sunday was boring! Was your Monday any better? Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Lol, that's a very good point there! Do you think that Vector would dare to go through Espio's drawers again? Thanks for the review!  
**

**bearvalley3365: That would be really hilarious if Vector tripped and fell and landed in the pizza or something! Good prediction. xD Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**Mysterious: I think that my least favorite Sonic character is either Big or Eggman, but I'm not really sure. I don't particularly like either of them. Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

**zgirl16: Hehe, so you spend a lot of time looking at fan art too? I love fan art so much that it's not even funny. :P Sometimes fan art inspires me for fics. You know, I never liked Shadilver much. It just never really sparked my interested. So you think that Shadow is Silver's father? xD  
**

* * *

**Chapter XXI  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

I'm not exactly sure why I invited Vector over for dinner. The situation most likely will turn out to be a disaster. However, for some reason, I couldn't quite seem to turn Vector away from my door. He looked so sad at the prospect of having to leave and go home to his cluttered apartment. Besides, today is a day that should be celebrated. As Team Chaotix, we completed our very first mission and it only feels right that we should all be together for a little celebration. I'm starting to warm up to Vector. He's still a big, slow-witted crocodile, but he's starting to become a good acquaintance of mine. Well, alright, I suppose that I consider Vector a friend now despite the fact that he stole my pills and keeps getting me into embarrassing situations. At least his intentions are good.

"Come on in, Vector!" Charmy shouts, already in the living room. He descends to the couch and immediately grabs for his video game controller with eager hands. Vigorously waving Vector over to him, Charmy persists, "Come play my video game with me! You can help me out and tell me whenever the bad guys are near."

"Sure, kid," Vector replies, tramping through the house after Charmy with a big, toothy grin on his face.

Standing in the doorway, I watch the two of them with a small smile flirting around the corners of my mouth. It's nice for Charmy to have another friend. He seems to really look up to Vector and they do get along rather well. I'm not jealous of Vector anymore. Charmy still cares for me just as much as he did before. He's just opened up his heart to Vector as well.

I quietly shut the door before stepping into the living room to see Charmy's eyes already glued to the TV screen and Vector lounging on the sofa. I must be feeling sentimental tonight because I feel a small tear run to the corner of my eye. Ever since Bryce shattered my world, I've been extremely depressed. All of my thoughts have been dark. Before meeting Charmy, I considered killing myself. Bryce said that I was worth nothing. I believed him.

Now though, things are different. I haven't had the time to focus on my own misery what with Team Chaotix keeping me occupied. Vector, even as annoying as he can be at times, has helped me out. Perhaps he's right about the pills. I may not need them anymore so long as I keep my mind on Team Chaotix. With time, I might even be able to make an almost complete recovery.

Feeling hopeful, I lean on the edge of the couch and ask in my usual even voice, "I'm going to order the pizza now. What toppings would you two like?"

"Pepperoni!" Charmy shrieks excitedly, his eyes never leaving the TV screen as robotic aliens charge at his player in the video game. "I love pepperoni!"

"Huh, good question. How 'bout meat lovers?" Vector asks after a moment's thought.

"Alright," I reply, still hanging over the edge of the sofa, enjoying the family-like environment of the three of us in the living room together. "I'll order a pizza with pepperoni on one half of it and meat lovers on the other half of it. Is there anything else that you two would like? We already have an unopened soda bottle in the fridge."

"Nah, we're good," Vector replies since Charmy is too preoccupied with his game to respond. His face falls and he suddenly points out, "Say, Esp, yeh didn't choose any of the pizza toppings!"

"I'm fine with meat lovers and pepperoni," I reply even though I would have preferred veggie lovers myself. I'm used to sacrificing things for other people. It's in my nature.

"Aw, that's our Esp!" Vector states proudly, making me blush as he continues on, "Espio's always so selfless and is lookin' out fer the rest of us!"

Blushing furiously at the compliment - I'm never so good at taking compliments - I retreat to the kitchen and dial the number to the local pizza place. I order the pizza that Vector and Charmy have decided that they want and then I work on getting clean dishes out of the cabinet for us to eat on. After that, I pull the cold soda bottle out of the fridge and pour the fizzy liquid into three glasses for Vector, Charmy, and myself. I don't usually let Charmy drink soda since it's not exactly healthy, but I suppose that tonight is a night worth celebrating.

Once all of the silverware and the drinks are laid out on the counter, I balance them in my arms and then step carefully into the living room. I don't mean to brag, but I am rather good at balancing things after all of my work at the cafe. I set Charmy's soda and the plates down on the coffee table before handing Vector his glass and saying, "Here you go, Vector."

Vector takes his glass from me before he suddenly grabs my wrist and tugs me down onto the couch next to him. I fall against the cushions and give him a surprised look as Vector states, "Ya work too hard! Just sit down with us and enjoy yerself fer a bit, alright?"

My muscles ache and I find that I am rather sleepy. Tucking my legs neatly underneath me, I settle down on the sofa next to Vector. Vector surprises me by throwing a loose arm around my shoulders as he raises his soda glass to me in a toast, stating, "To Charmy and Espio!"

I clink my glass against Vector's glass and add, "To new friendships!"

Vector gives me a knowing look before he practically drains his soda in one gulp. In a way, I'm trying to apologize for being so cold with Vector when we first met. I had been far too narrow-minded and hadn't really given him a chance. It's surprising that Vector persisted a relationship between us when he easily could have walked away. I suppose that I'm lucky to have him as part of our team.

Ding dong! The doorbell rings, signaling that the pizza is being delivered. I immediately start to get up, but Vector puts a firm hand on my wrist to keep me sitting down as he says, "I can handle the pizza delivery guy. You just stay here and relax."

"Thank you, Vector," I reply, glad not have to get up and rush around any more. My eyelids are surprisingly heavy and I find that I'm already a bit sleepy.

I snuggle into the couch while listening to Vector blab to the delivery hedgehog at the door and Charmy shriek and cheer as his video game takes a turn for the worse and then for the better. Vector comes striding into the living room again a moment later. He plops the pizza box down on the coffee table and helps himself to a large slice of pizza. I take a small slice of pizza for myself and nibble along the edge of it. Charmy is too into his video game to take a break for dinner. Normally, I would have insisted on him eating with the rest of us, but I'm feeling lenient tonight.

"This sure hits the spot!" Vector states, rubbing his stomach. "I was staving!"

"You always say that," I point out wryly, still nibbling at my pizza slice. Vector glances over at me and then chuckles. Immediately worrying if something is wrong with me, I ask in a paranoid voice, "What?"

"It's just...well...ya kind of got pizza sauce all above yer upper lip. Want me to get it for ya?" Vector offers, obviously having a hard time trying not to laugh.

Thinking that I must look pretty ridiculous, I nod and hold still while Vector reaches forward with a gloved fingertip. He very gently wipes the sauce off of my face, his finger almost caressing my upper lip. My eyes flick upward at the touch and we lock gazes. I feel a jerk within me as I register the expression on Vector's face as almost..._intimate_.

"Whoopee! I just beat the next level! Can you believe it?" Charmy cheers, breaking up the awkward moment between Vector and me. He tosses his video game controller into the air and then catches it again, before adding, "Now I'm onto level ten! That's the hardest level that there is. It's only for professionals. Want to hear about how I beat the last level?"

"Sure, Charmy. You can tell us about the level while you eat your dinner," I press, knowing that Charmy will probably forget to eat in his excitement about the game.

"Okay!" Charmy replies, absentmindedly stuffing pizza into his mouth as he starts going on about his game a mile a minute. The next hour basically consists of me enjoying the atmosphere of the room, Charmy yammering constantly about his video game through his full mouth, and Vector devouring the rest of the pizza. By the time nothing but crumbs remain in the pizza box, it's gotten rather late. With a full stomach and a happy heart, I'm almost drifting off to sleep.

Turning to Charmy, I suppress a yawn and point out, "It's probably about time for you to go to bed. Say goodnight to Vector and then go brush your teeth."

"Aw man!" Charmy complains. He looks like he's going to protest, but then ends up yawning. Realizing that he really is tired, Charmy throws himself at Vector and hugs the crocodile tightly, exclaiming, "I had so much fun with you today, Vector! You should stay over more often!"

"Yeah, we had a blast, didn't we?" Vector grins at Charmy, also looking content and relaxed.

Next, Charmy flies to me. He wraps his arms against my slender waist and presses his head to my chest, murmuring, "I love you, Espio. Goodnight!"

"I love you too, Charmy," I reply affectionately, holding the little bee close to me. These are the moments that help me decide that my life is worth living. Feeling another heart beating against mine and hearing words of true appreciation for me is what ultimately made me decide not to end my life.

Charmy finally releases me and then flies from the room. It takes me a moment before I realize that Vector and I are all alone now. The situation could be awkward, but it's not. Vector is leaning against the couch with his feet propped up on the coffee table. I could kick him out, but I don't feel like it. I surprise myself by thinking that I actually like Vector's company.

"You can turn on the TV if you'd like," I offer to Vector, tossing the remote over to him. Vector nearly misses catching it and then starts flicking through the TV channels. He settles on the sports channel, which is probably the most boring channel on the television according to me. At this rate, I'll be asleep within the next five minutes.

Just as I predicted, the speech of the commentators starts to lull me to sleep. My eyelids are half closed when Vector's voice suddenly jerks through my thoughts as he asks, "Are ya really against gay couples, Esp?"

"What?" I ask, opening one eye sleepily and giving Vector a nonplussed look. "Where is this coming from?"

"I dunno, it just seemed like you were sorta appalled at the idea earlier," Vector shrugs his shoulders. "I was just wonderin' if yer a homophobe."

"I...I honestly haven't thought about it much," I reply, my brain working too slowly at this time of night for me to come up with an answer to Vector's question. "I suppose that I don't have a problem with it."

"Good. Neither do I," Vector states firmly. "I believe that love is love no matter what form it comes in, y'know?"

For some reason, it saddens me to hear Vector talk about love as if it's a simple matter. Love is anything _but _simple. I gave up trying to find love when Bryce broke my spirit and my body. Giving Vector a sad sort of smile, I ask, "But what is love, Vector?"

Vector thinks for a moment and then shrugs his shoulders, replying, "Ya think too much, Esp. All I know is that when ya find love, you'll know it. Being in love is the best feelin' in the world. You want to spend all yer time with the person yer in love with and ya want to be with them constantly. Know what I mean?"

Shaking my head, I murmur, "Unfortunately, I don't know."

My mind reels and I remember how Bryce claimed to have loved me on a few rare occasions. On those rare nights, he would lay by my side and caress and stroke my body, not treating me like his whore, but like an actual being with thoughts and feelings. Bryce would lean over and kiss my cheek and then my lips as I would lay frozen underneath him, unsure of what kind of mood he might be in. Looking down into my eyes, Bryce would say, "God, Esp, you bring out the best and the worst in me, you know that? I really do love you though. I do all of this because I love you. You understand that, right?"

Did I understand? No, not really. However, I would lie still and nod, glad not to be beaten or brutally raped. But then the affectionate moment would pass and Bryce's lips would skim down my chest, across my abdomen, and then to places that I will never allow anyone to go again. Then I would wonder if my cousin really did care about me or if he really just cared about the sex.

Thunk! During my reverie, I practically fell asleep and now find myself leaning up against Vector's side with my eyes closed. Before I can fall asleep, I jerk myself upright and whisper, "Vector?"

The living room is now dark and Vector looks over at me, saying, "I guess that I should go now, huh? It's gotten late. Well, thanks fer havin' me, Esp. I'll talk to ya tomorrow, alright?"

"Alright," I reply. I had honestly been considering letting Vector stay the night, but he's already at the door. Glancing over at him with glassy eyes, I murmur, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight. Take care of yerself," Vector calls to me before letting the door to my house fall shut behind him.

I make one important realization before I drift off to sleep; Bryce never really cared about me, but Vector does.

* * *

_Do you guys think that Vector really does care about Espio? Review please! :) Also, I'm sorry about bringing my personal life into this, but I'm kind of struggling with an eating disorder again. I'm 66 pounds and haven't been eating much, so eating meal hurts like hell. I don't want to kill myself with this stupid thing though, so starting tomorrow I'm going to try to eat three meals. Sorry again for bringing my personal life into this, but a little love and support would be much appreciated right now.  
_


	22. Chapter XXII

**Regular sonic fan: Yay, I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter and the ending of it so much! :D I always love your comments. They're so much fun to read, you know that? :) Thanks for being such an awesome supporter! I really hope that you never have health issues too. They're really horrible. Thank you so much for hoping that I get better soon. I hope that I get better soon too. I've felt really crummy for a long time now. Hope you like this next chapter!  
**

**Fangirl-time: It's hard to find the Sonic comics around here too sadly. I really like them though! So Sonadow and Sontails are your OTPs? I really like Sonadow! What are your favorite things about those pairings? Thank you for liking the chapter!  
**

**LuluCalliope: Yeah, you do need to come on here more often! I take it that you've been really busy with school? I hope that it's going well for you. Yeah, Alicia is right. I'm having problems maintaining my weight. I'm at 66 pounds and I'm kind of scared. **

**andypandy123: You really do think that I'll end up in heaven? *looks hopeful* I've prayed and repented, but as a new Christian, sometimes I feel very uncertain about these things, you know? It's nice to meet another Christian though. :) I'm sure that you'll make the right decision. I have complete faith in you and your decisions! Those are a lot of options that you have. You still have a few years to think about it though, right? And I agree, hard work always pays off.  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: Those are my two favorite teams to play as in Sonic Heroes as well. :P Have you completed all four teams? I've only ever actually completed the Chaotix levels because I'm lazy. I wouldn't exactly consider myself a great gamer. How about you?  
**

**noobheadz: Haha, that sounds like something that I would do. I forget which games I have or don't have a lot of the time too. :P Do you have a favorite level or part in Super Mario Galaxy? I absolutely love Space Junk Galaxy and that Dark Matter Galaxy or whatever it's called. Wow, you have a lot of gaming systems! Thanks for the support! *hugs* Oh, and I hope that you get better soon too!  
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**Toni the Mink: Thanks so much for the advice and the support regarding the eating. It does hurt a lot and I'm already groaning about breakfast tomorrow. Truth be told, I don't dare talk to a doctor or someone like that because they'll have me in a hospital for sure at this rate. They tube feed you and stick you with IVs and make you go up to really high weights there, so I'm trying to handle this on my own as best as I can. It's kind of scary and painful though. It is obvious that Vector loves Espio already, isn't it? He's just too blind to see it. xD You know, I'm actually the same exact way; I'm all about Sonic as well. Say, since you've read a lot of the comics, can you tell me about Scourge's and Fiona's beginnings? I've always been curious about them. Thanks for reading!  
**

**Savvy0417: Thank you so much for hoping that I feel better soon. *hugs you* And yay, Shadamy fans! :D Have you noticed any support for Shadamy in any of the games or do you ever keep a lookout for things like that? I do because, well, I like doing that. xD  
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**Fully Eroded: You're so welcome! But hey, it's very true! You're never alone and I'm always here to help if I can. *hugs you back* Is there anything that I can do to help you right now? Hm, that's so confusing about Vector and the different eye colors! I guess that he could have either depending on the pictures. :P I dunno what game Charmy is playing - you can use your imagination for that, hehe. Thanks for being such a great encourager!  
**

**Chibi-Guest: I'll try super hard not to die on you! I really do want to live, but you're right, my eating disorder is pretty serious. I feel guilty and my stomach hurts and cramps up whenever I try eating meals. Thank you for hoping that it goes away for me soon. All I want is to eat normally and feel normal, you know? That's all that I'm asking for! I'm sorry that you were feeling down, but it's good that you're feeling better again! It's kind of weird because I don't get that time of the month anymore...I think that it has to do with my low weight or something, you know? Espio is definitely lucky to have someone like Vector, I agree! I wish that we all had Vectors in our lives. Wouldn't that be awesome? If only life was just fun and games. That would be great and I'm with you on the no crime thing. *nods* Thanks for reading!  
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**Guest: Glad to hear that you liked the bonding moments between Espio and Vector in the last chapter! Thank you for the advice. I'm trying my best to start with small meals, but even those hurt like hell. I wonder how long it's going to take before the pain goes away. Thanks for telling me to keep my chin up. Your support is much appreciated!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: *hugs tight* It hurts like hell, but I'm trying to eat. 66 probably isn't a safe weight, is it? I think that I should probably be at 70. What do you think? This hurts so much though, sometimes I feel like dying is a better option. :S  
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**crazyshine: Espio is a hard worker, I agree! Thanks for the support. I'm trying to get better slowly but surely. Hope you like this chapter!  
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**Ersiffa Narman: Hiya! Thanks so much for the advice. I really need advice right now. Trying to gain weight and stop my downward spiral is really scary and it hurts, which is even worse. I'm glad to hear that your Monday went well though! Did you have classes that you like? And omg, Vectilla! Guess it's a good thing that I ate today even though it hurt. :P Thanks for commenting!  
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**Saints-Fan-12: Aw, I'm so glad to hear that you thought that it was a heart touching chapter! Thank you also for understanding. You're a really good friend. :)  
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**bearvalley3365: Thank you so much for the advice and for the support. I actually considered suicide a few times just before I turned eighteen. That was a really horrible period of my life. I just became a Christian and I've been praying more. I hope that if I do die from this, I will go to heaven, you know?  
**

**Stormyx: I'm so sorry that you got sick! I'm glad to hear that you're feeling better now though. I missed you! *hugs* Thank you so much for the sympathy regarding the eating disorder. Did your friend ever recover from it? It feels like a long hard road out of hell, but I do NOT want to die, I'm far too young for that. It does seem weird to give canon characters sir names, I agree! I try to avoid doing that whenever possible. And omg, you like Monsters University and Monsters Inc. too? I have fanfictions based off of those movies because I love them so much. :D Who's your favorite character from them? Glad you liked all of my pairing ideas. It would be pretty cool to see Sonic, Amy, and the gang get treated like the jerks and Rosy, Fiona, and Scourge as the heroes for once. It would definitely mix things up for a change, you know? Yeah, this story has a later sex scene with Vector and Vanilla because Vector decides to be a heartless jerk to Espio for a while. I'll always ship Vecpio too! *joins you in waving the Vecpio flag around* I'm so sorry about the teachers at your school! They sound absolutely horrible. I remember having a teacher who used to hate me and I always wondered what the hell I ever did to her, you know? Home-schooling was nice, I guess. I got to mess around a lot and didn't do a lot of schoolwork. :P I'm super lazy. Ugh, so there's a new SOPA thing? I heard about the old one, but I didn't realize that it was still going on. *facepalms* It's so stupid! Thanks for commenting! **

**Mysterious: Hm, I see what you're saying there. *nods* I think that I'm going to vote for Big too. I guess that we kind of have to have Eggman as a Sonic villain even if he is annoying. Thanks for hoping that I feel better and for liking the chapter!  
**

**zgirl16: You draw a lot of fan art yourself? I didn't know that! I'd love to see some of it sometime! I wish that I could do fan art sometimes, but I'm no artist. Hm, that's a possibility. xD I just never thought about Silver's origins before to be quite honest. xP  
**

* * *

**Chapter XXII  
**

_~ Vector's POV ~  
_

I'm walkin' back toward my apartment room with high hopes fer Team Chaotix. Espio finally seems to be warming up to me just a bit. Who would've thought that he would actually invite me to stay over for a pizza dinner with him and Charmy? Definitely not me. In fact, I'm so happy about the situation that I don't even mind the fact that I didn't get any dough from our last mission. 'Course, once the time to pay the rent comes around, then I'll probably not feel so great. For now though, I'm just glad to see my little buddy cheering up. He doesn't even seem all that upset that I tossed his pills out of the window. That's good since there's no way that I'm gonna give them back to him. Esp's a tough little guy. He doesn't need pills. Those damn things just screw with yer head if ya ask me.

My stride is slow and I have my head tilted back so that I can enjoy the fresh air. It might seem late cuz it's really dark outside, but it can't be past nine pm. Espio is probably just used to goin' to bed early because of Charmy. Now that I think about it, Espio seems quite protective of Charmy. It's like he's Charmy's natural born mother...er, father?

Suddenly, my eyes latch onto a figure running toward me like the devil himself is after him. Curious, I come to a halt and squint my eyes. The figure is slim, fast, and blue. That's gotta be none other than Sonic. Whaddya bet that he's runnin' from that girlfriend of his again?

"Yo! Sonic!" I call out, raising a hand in greeting as the royal blue hedgehog comes barreling toward me.

I dunno how he does it, but somehow or the other, Sonic manages to come to a halt right in front of me at the very last moment. He waves back to me and says in a cheerful voice, "Hey Vector. How are you? It's a nice night for a run, don't you think?"

"I guess so. Say, you don't happen to be runnin' from Amy Rose, are ya?" I ask, raising an eyebrow as a plan suddenly takes form in my head. Sonic gives me a rueful smile and nods, wiping sweat off of his forehead. Getting a devious look in my eyes, I glance right and left to make sure that nobody is listening in on our conversation before I lean down to Sonic's level and whisper in his ear, "Say, I kinda need some help with somethin'. I need to find Espio a girlfriend and I was thinkin' about setting him up with Amy."

"_Espio_ and Amy?" Sonic exclaims, looking shocked at the suggestion. "Espio is that little purple chameleon who used to work at the cafe, right?"

I nod, not really likin' the way that Sonic sayid Espio's name. The way that he emphasized it made it sound as if there's something wrong with Espio. For some unknown reason, I feel myself getting all defensive of the chameleon as I say, "Yeah. Why? Is there something wrong with him?"

"No," Sonic points out immediately. "I just never thought of him and Amy as a couple before. Espio is probably her opposite. He seems very quiet, reserved, and maybe a bit arrogant."

"Espio ain't arrogant," I reply firmly. "He just likes to keep his pride up, that's all. Can't blame him fer that. Would ya mind givin' me Amy's number? Maybe this will help keep her off of yer back for a day."

"Well, it's definitely worth a try," Sonic shrugs. He pulls out a piece of paper from underneath his glove and hands it to me. I take the wrinkled piece of paper from him and unfold it. A phone number is written on it with curly numbers. Sonic shudders and says, "She throws her phone number at me every time I see her! I've got to run now. Good luck!"

"See ya, Sonic," I wave as Sonic's blue form becomes a blur in the distance.

I dunno if Amy Rose is gonna be Espio's soul mate or not, but besides for bein' a little overenthusiastic at times, she seems nice enough. Who knows? She could be Espio's type. Besides, they're both the same color and they're both really skinny. As far as looks go, they're pretty darn perfect for each other.

Determined to give Amy a phone call when I get home and try to set her up with Espio, I tromp along down the sidewalk a little faster. My steps soon come to another suddenly halt as I take in a beautiful figure swaying along slightly in the moonlight. It's Miss Vanilla of all people! Can my day get any luckier? I don't think so. Composing myself as quickly as I can, I bright myself up to my full height, adjust the chain around my neck, and...

"Why, hello there, Vector," Miss Vanilla's soft voice floats to my ears like a lilting melody.

I immediately stab the pause button on my music player so that I can hear and blush bright red, replying, "Hello, ma'am! Beautiful night, ain't it? Yer eyes twinkle like the stars."

"Thank you," Miss Vanilla replies, giving a little giggle at my comment. For the first time, I notice that the smile she's giving me could possibly be registered as flirtatious. Then again, I'm probably just thinkin' this whole thing through too much. Miss Vanilla goes on, "I was just heading home for the night. Where are you going, Vector, dear?"

"Same place," I reply, before realizing that my words came out wrong. "Er, I mean that I'm goin' back to my apartment. I just left Espio's house a few minutes ago. Um, ma'am? Can I ask ya somethin'?"

"Of course you can, dear," Miss Vanilla replies without a moment of hesitation. "What would you like to ask me?"

I'm not sure why, but fer some reason, I can sense luck in the air tonight and I just feel like now is as good of a time as any to ask Miss Vanilla out. Taking a deep breath, I ask all in a rush, "I was wonderin' if you'd like to go to the movies with me tomorrow. Y'know, we could have a nice time there and go out ta dinner afterward."

At my words, Miss Vanilla looks shocked. Crap, I musta just blown it. Dammit, Vector, you can't push yer luck too hard. It would have been better if I had just kept my big mouth shut. I search around for something else to say to cover up for my mistake, but my mind has been wiped blank of all thought.

Suddenly, Miss Vanilla's lips curve up into a smile and she says, "I'd love to go with you to the movies and to dinner! What time should I meet you at the movie theater?"

"You...actually wanna go?" I ask, my eye lighting up. Never in a million years would I have expected Miss Vanilla to say yes! I must be livin' in some kind of dream because she gives me one of those heartwarming smiles of hersand nods. Grinning, I shrug my shoulders, not really caring what time we meet so long as we get to spend some time together. "I dunno, how about two in the afternoon?"

"That sounds lovely," Miss Vanilla says, looking just as happy as I feel. "Well, I'd best get home to Cream now, but I will certainly see you tomorrow afternoon. Thank you for the invitation!"

"Don't mention it!" I exclaim a little too loudly as I wave to Miss Vanilla as she disappears in the distance.

As soon as the gorgeous cream-colored rabbit is out of view, I grin and crank up the volume to my music again before racing toward home. Things really seem to be goin' my way right now. Team Chaotix's first mission is complete, Espio seems to finally be accepting me, I have Amy's phone number, and Miss Vanilla just said that she'd go on a date with me! I suppose that it only makes sense that she should accept my invitation. After all, I remember the love website that I was on the other day. It said that Miss Vanilla and I would be kissin' within the month!

I burst through the door to my apartment building and waste no time pounding up the stairs to my apartment room. Once there, I throw the door open and barrel inside, pushing the door shut behind me with the tip of my tail. Figurin' that I should give Amy a call before it gets too late, I plop down on my wooden chair and stab Amy's phone digits into the phone. The phone starts ringing and I sit back in my chair and wait, hopin' that Amy is around and picks up her phone.

"Hello?" a tired voice finally answers from the other line. "Who is this?"

"Hey Amy," I say, trying to sound cheerful although I don't really like Amy all that much. 'Course, I'm not doing this for myself though. This is for Espio. Going on, I add, "This is Vector."

"Vector?" Amy asks, blankly. "I don't know any 'Vectors'."

Damn, I guess that Amy really doesn't know who I am. Either that or she's too tired to think straight. Frowning, I press, "Yeh know me. Remember? Vector the crocodile?"

"Oh, right," Amy replies in a flat voice, finally having matched my face to my name. She doesn't sound too excited to talk to me, that's fer sure. Going on, she says, "Yeah, I know you. What do you want? It's late to be calling a girl. I need my beauty sleep."

I make a face at no one in particular and am glad that Amy can't see me right now. Trying to keep up my politeness, I explain, "It's about my friend, Espio. I'm goin' on a date with someone tomorrow and I want Espio to come along too. I don't want him to feel too left out though, y'know? Anyway, I need to find someone to go to the movies with Espio. Will ya come along?"

"Like you want me to go as his date?" Amy sounds hesitant.

Yeah, that's exactly what I want her to do. 'Course, I can't tell her that though. The girl's too stuck on Sonic to want to go on a date with anyone else. Lying, I reply, "Nah, not like that. You'd just go with Espio as his friend so that he doesn't feel lonely. The poor guy hasn't got many friends."

"That_ is_ kind of sad," Amy replies, the goodness of her heart getting the best of her. "Well, alright then. I'll meet your friend at the movies. What time should I meet him there?"

"Two in the afternoon," I say, letting out a sigh of relief. For a moment there, I didn't think that Amy was gonna agree to any of this. After a moment's pause, I add, "Thanks, Amy."

"You don't have to thank me. I'm not doing this for you. I'm doing it for him. It must be hard not to have any friends. Anyway, it's late and I need to go. Goodnight," Amy replies in her high-pitched voice before I hear the phone on her end hang up.

Rolling my eyes, I hang up my own phone. Amy is a little brat, but hopefully Espio will like her. The only problem is that I don't really know what Espio's taste in girls is. In fact, Espio doesn't really seem to have any taste in girls. I never catch him lookin' at them or showin' them any interest. It's kinda weird for someone his age. He should have a stack of porn under his pillow like must guys! Oh well. Amy should get Espio interested in girls again. I have no fear that Amy will like Espio. What's not to like about Espio with his secretive ninja ways? Besides, for a guy, he's not bad looking at all with his slender body, soft curves, and bright amber eyes. If I was a girl, I'd find him pretty damn sexy. Of course, I ain't a girl and why I'm thinkin' this way is something that I dunno. It's time fer me to get to bed. I've got a big day tomorrow with Miss Vanilla and I need to get my sleep so that I can be the most charming croc that I can be tomorrow!

The next day, I wake up at noon. Guess I got what Amy would call "my beauty sleep". Rolling out of bed in a tangle of sheets, I trip and land on the floor. What a great start to my morning. Cussing under my breath and ignoring the neighbor who lives in the apartment room underneath mine who decides to smack the ceiling with his broom to get me to be quiet, I cross the room to my phone and figure that I'd better give Esp a call and let him know about our plans for today.

By this time, I don't even need to look up Espio's phone number. I have it memorized. Yawning widely and spraying morning breath everywhere, I absentmindedly dial Espio's phone number and then lean my elbow sleepily on the desk as I wait for him to reply.

"Hiya! This is Charmy speaking!" a hyper voice sounds from the other side of the phone.

"Oh, hey Charm," I reply to the little bee, not really wanting to speak to him right now. "Can ya get Esp on the line fer me?"

"Vector!" Charmy exclaims loudly, practically deafening me with his delight. "Yeah, sure. I'll go get him. ESPIO, THE PHONE IS FOR YOU!"

If I wasn't deaf earlier, I'm certainly deaf now. I practically fling the phone away from my ears and massage them tenderly. It looks like someone needs to teach Charmy some phone etiquette! I'm still rubbing my ears a few minutes later when a cautious voice says, "Hello?"

"Hey Esp, this is Vector," I tell Espio as the ringing inside of my ears finally starts to die down. "We, uh, have a new mission. I need ya to meet me outside of the movie theater at two pm. Just you though. Don't bring the kid."

"Did you just say the movie theater?" Espio echoes dubiously, already suspecting that I'm up to no good. "That seems like a very odd place for us to meet."

"Don't ya worry. You'll like this new mission. I'll meet ya at the theater," I add, starting to hang up before Espio can protest. As a last minute thought, I add, "Ya might want to wash up before ya meet me at the theater. I'll tell yeh why later."

With that said, I set the phone down and send myself a toothy smile. Espio is definitely gonna be in fer a big surprise when he shows up at the theater!

* * *

_Do you think that Espio will show up at the movie theater? Oh, and thank you so much for the support, guys! Today's been hell, but support ALWAYS helps. *hugs everyone* It's hard because an anorexic's stomach always bloats up and you experience a lot of stomach cramping when you try to eat after not eating for such a long period of time. I swear that I look like I'm pregnant or something after eating only three small meals, but hey, I'm choosing to live, you know? Can't let some stupid disease take me down. Review please! :)  
_


	23. Chapter XXIII

**Regular sonic fan: I know, right? I didn't think that it was possible to hate Vanilla any more either, but apparently it is! Veccy is a terrible matchmaker, isn't he? He just needs to smarten up and realize it. D: I really do love your reviews that much! They always brighten my day and put a smile on my face. Thanks for wishing me a speedy recovery. My mom says that it'll probably be like twenty days of pain and then I'll start to feel better. So...twenty more days. =/  
**

**andypandy123: Thank you so much for saying that. I do try hard to be a nice person and I agree that late is always better than never. I feel a little iffy in my faith sometimes, but I'm hoping that time and prayer will help that out. Do you go to church regularly? I haven't gone to a church, but I've read a few bible passages, mostly new testament ones because those are a little more inspiring to me. It's nice that you live in such a religious area! And wow, I know what you mean about that being such a big decision! Maybe you should pray about it? I'm sure that you'll make the right choice or get a good feeling about one of the universities when the time comes. :)  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: Heh, I had a feeling that you're a really good gamer. Have you been a gamer for all of your life? I'm kind of an on/off gamer, so I definitely wouldn't say I'm amazing at games.  
**

**noobheadz: You think that Amy and Espio should go on a date together? xD They're an interesting couple, that's for sure! Hm...I don't remember that galaxy because I have a horrible memory. :P Have you completed the game? And aw! That sucks that you couldn't get the Xbox because someone borrowed it. :(  
**

**Toni the Mink: I don't mind you questioning about my health at all. I'm exactly 5'0. I know that society is all against weight gain and blah, blah, blah, but I think that I should probably be at 70 pounds at least. What do you think? I have a petite build, but still. I'm holding off on medical advice because I think that it's normal for me to experience stomach pains and bloating right now. I mean, I think that most anorexics have that since their stomachs sort of forget how to digest food, you know? But anyway, I'll take all the advice and prayers that I can get, so thank you very much! Thanks also for the explanation on Scourge and Fiona! Fiona's story sounds a bit random, but I guess that means that I can play around with it more. I just sort of have my current ScourgexFiona story as an AU fic so I didn't have to worry about background information, haha. I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter. You know, I think that Espio is a bit of an idiot when it comes to Vector! I guess that love makes us all idiots, right? xD Hope you like this chapter!  
**

**Savvy0417: I agree that this next chapter is definitely going to be interesting. xD And omg, I always think of Sonic Adventure 2 whenever I think of Shadamy. So it's not just me then?  
**

**Fully Eroded: Aw, you are so sweet and you're making me blush a lot right now! :) You're a very special friend to me too, so I'm really happy to hear that the feeling is mutual. *hugs you back super tightly* I'm going to make sure that I try for all three meals from now on. Thank you again so much for the encouragement!  
**

**Spiiiiii: Oh my god, I wasn't sure if I'd ever talk to you again! It's so nice to finally see you on here again! *screams with happiness* So you're rereading this? D'awww, that's so sweet of you! I wasn't sure if this story would be worth rereading or not, you know? Thanks for being proud of me. I'm kind of to the point where all of my bones are sticking out in the wrong places, so it's time to do something about it even if eating hurts, you know? *cries* But anyway, enough of me! How are you and how have you been? *hugs tightly*  
**

**Guest: You're right about Espio going to be in for a real shock when he arrives at the movie theater! Vector is pretty corny when it comes to his lines to Vanilla, isn't he? *rolls eyes at him* Thanks for the support and for the sympathy. My stomach has sort of forgotten how to digest food, so I guess that I have to expect some pain, right? =/  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: I just want to live through this at this point, you know? The recovery process hurts like hell, but it will get better in time, right?  
**

**crazyshine: Thank you. I agree that 18 is too young to give up and that I have a hopefully bright future, so I'm going to go through the temporary pain. *nods* Vector has the right idea, but nothing ever seems to go well for him, does it?  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hi there! :) I think that you're totally right about my stomach not being used to digesting food. I hope that it will hurt less in time though, you know? My parents are helping me now and so I ate oatmeal for breakfast. It hurt, but it's keeping me alive, so that's good, right? It's hard though because I went from like a 100 calorie diet to a 600 calorie diet in one day. :S I'm glad that you like all of your classes this semester! How was today for you? ^^  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Thank you so much! It's nice to know that people actually care about me, you know? *hugs tightly*  
**

**bearvalley3365: That's a good prediction about what will happen with Amy and Espio. They do meet up at the movie theater in this chapter! Thank you for the advice. I've been praying a lot lately and I'm hoping that God is listening to my my prayers.  
**

**PreyasRules: Aw man, it sounds like someone is having a crappy week! *sends you mega huggles* I can't say that my week has been all that great either, so I know how you feel. Are you still sick on top of everything else or are you finally starting to feel better hopefully? That's horrible about the guy that you thought that you had a crush on, but I thought that you liked your friend, right? Maybe concentrate on her instead? Shopping with grandparents can suck; I can definitely relate to you there. You'll have to let me know how the shopping trip goes. And ugh, spiders! *shivers* I hate them with such a passion! Sorry, but I really can't beta read right now. My life is kind of a mess and I can't even keep up with my daily updates right now. I'm sorry! And...an EspioxAmy lemon? Such a thing exists? *passes out from the horror* And I had thought that I had seen it all! Thanks for reading!**

**ven bracken: Thanks for catching back up on this story. :) Haha, so you don't like the idea of Espio and Amy together? I agree that Espio will probably be annoyed at the idea of getting forced on a date!  
**

**Mysterious: Thank you so much for the support! I'm determined to fight it and beat it even if it hurts! I'm so sorry about your dad; that must have been horrible! I'm definitely taking your advice. Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

**zgirl16: I highly doubt that you're a bad artist. You should definitely use one of your pictures for your avatar! I would love to see one of them! :) I've actually never played Sonic and the Black Knight before. What's that like? Thanks for hoping that eating gets better for me. Nah, no one's asked, but I just feel that huge. It's sad really. =/  
**

* * *

**Chapter XXIII  
**

_~ Vector's POV ~  
_

Espio is probably wonderin' what the hell is going on, but if I tell him that I've set him up with a girl, I know that he'll refuse to meet me at the theater. Sometimes surprises can be good things. In this case, it's for certain a damn good thing.

I decide that now is probably a good time to get myself ready for the date. After all, I only have two hours until I'll be meetin' Miss Vanilla at the movies! I have to look my absolute best for her. With this thought in mind, I hurry into the bathroom and practically trip over a bar of soap lyin' around on the floor in my haste. I manage to save myself from the fall and kick the bar of soap out of my way in annoyance before I stomp into the shower and turn the water on. For once, I don't have my headphones on and entertain myself by singin' in the shower.

After a quick but thorough wash, I stumble back out of the shower and dry off with a towel that doesn't look like it's been through the wash anytime recently. Ignoring that fact, I grab my toothbrush and brush my teeth until they're sparkling clean. Then I place my heavy golden chain over my neck and gargle with some mouthwash so that I can have nice, minty fresh breath fer Miss Vanilla.

I'm as handsome of a croc as I can be by one pm and have an entire hour to burn. Sittin' around has never been my thing. I get up and pace around the room in anticipation. Even loud, headbanging music can't calm my nerves. At thirty minutes after one, I decide to head to the theater early. It never hurts to be early.

Kicking the door to my apartment room open, I hurry down the hallway and enter the elevator. I recognize my grouchy hedgehog neighbor in the corner of the elevator, but don't bother to pay any attention to him. My mind is solely focused on Miss Vanilla. It's great that I got her to go on this date with me, but now I'm gonna have to work on something even harder. I'm gonna have to keep her attention all throughout the date and make sure that she has a good time during it so that she might want to go on another date with me. Geez, this courting business is hard work!

I absentmindedly exit the elevator and then stride outside onto the sidewalk. I'm paying no attention to where I'm going and almost step out onto the street in front of a car. Luckily, I notice it just in time and jump backward before I become a pancake. Chastising myself fer such a stupid mistake, I force myself to put Miss Vanilla to the back of my mind and focus on the road instead.

I reach the movie theater a few minutes later but am not the first one there. Amy is already standing outside of the large brown building shifting from foot to foot as she twirls a strand of bright pink hair around her finger. She looks kinda bored and antsy.

"Hey Amy," I greet the pink hedgehog, hoping that Espio will get here soon so that I won't have to entertain his girl for too long. "How's it goin'? Yer here pretty early."

"I know. I was bored. Sonic left to do something important this morning, so I didn't really have anything better to do," Amy shrugs her shoulders before sighing gloomily. "I wish that he would tell me more about what he does during the day. It's almost as if he doesn't want me around!"

I keep my big mouth shut since it's common knowledge that Sonic does everything possible to avoid Amy. The only one who seems oblivious to this fact is Amy herself. Despite the fact that I don't really like this girly hedgehog all that much, I do feel kinda bad fer her. One-sided loves can be really difficult.

The two of us lapse into silence. I'm not real good at holding conversations. I speak when I have somethin' to say. Otherwise, I keep quiet. Thankfully, I don't have to wait too long for another member of our party to arrive. Miss Vanilla sweeps into the clearing just a few minutes later. She looks drop dead gorgeous in her dress with the long skirt and with her big brown eyes sparkling excitedly.

"Good afternoon, ma'am!" I exclaim, taking the initiative and rushing over to her side. Deciding to play the part of a gentleman, I lean forward and kiss her hand very gently.

Giggling quietly, Miss Vanilla says, "Hello, Vector. I've been looking forward to this date. Is Miss Amy joining our group...?"

I immediately smack my forehead with my palm. To Miss Vanilla, it probably looks like I invited two woman to go to the movies with me! I'm surprised that she even bothered to show up after catchin' sight of Amy! Before she can get the wrong idea, I quickly interject, "Yeah, but she's not with me. She's goin' with Esp. I thought that we'd have a double date, y'know?"

"That sounds delightful," Miss Vanilla replies, her body relaxing slightly at my reassurance.

"Hey!" Amy frowns, turning and pointing an accusatory finger at me. "You said that this _wasn't_ a date!"

Oops. I open and close my mouth wordlessly, not sure how to save myself from this situation. Fortunately, Espio chooses this exact moment to arrive, unknowingly saving me from Amy's wrath. I quickly step forward and exclaim, "There ya are, Esp! I thought that yeh were never gonna show up!"

"I'm right on time," Espio points out quizzically as he sends a perplexed stare at the group around him. Raising an eyebrow, he asks, "What's going on, Vector?"

Instead of payin' attention to Espio's words, I find myself lookin' at the way the fuchsia chameleon's scales glisten in the sunlight. He must have taken my advice and washed up real good before coming here. There's not a speck of dirt on his slender figure and the sunlight seems to radiate off of his shiny scales, causing him to appear as if he's surrounded by a glow of bright light. A clean, exotic scent wafts to my nose as I stand close to Espio. Is this his natural scent? He smells kinda...well..._good_.

"Vector?" Espio presses, shifting uncomfortably before me.

"Er, we're all goin' to the movies, Esp!" I explain, pointing to our group. I push him in Amy's direction and emphasize, "You and Amy and Miss Vanilla and me are all goin' together. Come on everyone! We might as well go inside and choose what movie we wanna see."

There's a murmur of agreement throughout our group as we turn and start toward the door of the movie theater. Forced to walk by Amy's side just to appear polite, Espio sends me a murderous glare the moment that she's not paying attention to him. I gulp and give him a sheepish grin in return. Esp will see that this is fer his own good soon enough.

As we approach the door to the movie theater, I race forward and quickly open the door for Miss Vanilla. She gives me a grateful smile and says, "Why thank you, Vector. How very kind of you!"

"No problem. It's the least that I can do for ya," I tell Miss Vanilla, trying to keep my blush to a minimum as she steps through the door.

I continue holdin' the door open as Amy enters the movie theater along with Espio. It's a darn good thing that the saying "looks can kill" ain't true because otherwise I'd be dead right now from the vicious stare that Espio is sending me. Suddenly, with ninja fast reflexes, his foot lashes out and he kicks my ankle hard. Nobody else notices, so I'm forced to bite my tongue to keep my yelp of pain to myself. Espio may have tiny, stick-like legs, but he sure can kick hard!

Narrowing my eyes into slits, I immediately start thinking of a way to get revenge. I guess that Espio has a reason to be mad since I did sort of lie to him about why we were meeting at the theater. Still though, that doesn't give him any right to kick me! That little brat is gonna get it now...

Doing the only thing that I can think of doing, I grab the curl of his tail and yank on it a little harder than I should have. Espio practically jumps a mile into the air and stumbles into Amy as he whips his head around, a truly frightened look in his amber eyes. I instantly feel bad for what I did. Yeah, Esp might have deserved it, but I didn't need to scare him half to death. The petrified chameleon's eyes roam wildly from side to side. It's almost as if he expected me to do something to his tail. What though?

"Whoa!" Amy exclaims when Espio stumbles into her.

"I'm so sorry," Espio immediately apologizes, his cheeks blushing light pink. "I'm not normally this clumsy."

"It's alright," Amy immediately replies in a happy-go-lucky voice. "We all make mistakes sometimes. It wouldn't be normal if we didn't!"

Espio sends her a sort of awkward smile, but I notice that he's gotten all rigid and uptight. Maybe it wasn't such a good idea to drag Espio along on this double date with me after all. Trying not to let myself feel too guilty, I glance up at the list of movies and times that they're playing at on the wall opposite us. It looks like there's a nature documentary, a sci-fi movie, and a chick flick playing.

"The documentary sounds interesting," Espio points out quietly.

"A documentary?" Amy repeats, looking disappointed. "I was kind of hoping to watch the chick flick..."

"I tend to like a light movie with a bit of romance in it myself," Miss Vanilla chimes in, ultimately deciding which movie we're going to watch.

"Alright then, guess we'll be seeing 'Summer Love'," I reply, trying to sound enthusiastic as the four of us go to purchase our tickets. After we each receive one, I notice a vending machine. My stomach immediately growls. I ate some power bars only an hour ago, but I'm already starving. Looking hopeful, I ask, "Anyone wanna get some snacks? I'm famished."

Nobody replies. Guess nobody is hungry but me. Go figure. At the last minute, Miss Vanilla says, "Well, I just ate a late lunch, but you go ahead and buy some snacks, dear."

"Alright!" I say enthusiastically, not needin' any more encouragement to buy snacks. I notice Espio roll his eyes as I go over to the vending machine. I start buying every snack that looks good to me from cookies in a little package to chips to gummy worms. I spend all of my money except for a dollar that I'm planning to use on a soda in an adjacent vending machine.

"Vector?" Espio asks in his even voice. "Could you buy me a soda? I'm a bit thirsty."

"Er, I guess. I only have money left fer one soda though," I point out sadly, supposing that I can suppress my thirst until dinner and let Espio have the soda. I still haven't forgiven him for kicking me earlier, but I probably do owe him one after almost giving him a heart attack earlier when I pulled on his tail.

I reluctantly pop my dollar into the bright red machine and then hand Espio his soda. Espio gives me a knowing look and asks, "Are you thirsty?"

"Well, not right now, but after eatin' all of these snacks I will be," I mutter in a crabby voice before I immediately change my demeanor and turn toward Miss Vanilla, taking her hand gently as I say, "Right this way, ma'am. I've been to theater nine before and know exactly where to go."

"You're such a gentleman, Vector! I couldn't ask for a better host," Miss Vanilla replies, causing me to feel warm and tingly all over.

The four of us enter the movie theater and find that it's practically empty. We sit near the front of the theater so that we can have the best view. Miss Vanilla sits on my right and Espio sits on my left. I plop down in my seat and sneak a look at Miss Vanilla. She has her hands folded neatly in her lap and is watching the movie screen since the previews have already started. Not wantin' to annoy her, I glance over to my left to see how Espio and Amy are gettin' along.

It doesn't look like they're getting along too well by the looks of things. Espio is sitting on the right side of his chair, practically squished up next to mine. In fact, his thigh is almost brushing against my leg. I notice that he's trembling every so slightly and that his eyes look far away as if he's not really here in the movie theater, but in a distant world of his own. Y'know, trying to hook him up with Amy really might _not _have been the best idea. I guess that there's still time, but I think that this whole date thing is doin' Esp more harm than good.

Deciding not to worry about the little chameleon next to me, I rip open my bag of cookies and start crunching on them as the movie starts. It turns out to be one of those stupid movies that only women can enjoy. I've lost interest in it within the first five minutes. Miss Vanilla is smiling and appears to be enjoying it, which is great, but I'm bored to death. I would've liked to see the sci-fi movie, but I'm with Espio on the fact that even the documentary would have been more interesting than this crap. Speaking of Espio, how's he doing now?

I glance over at the chameleon perched next to me. Espio is still sitting up rigidly in his chair, but his eyes have lost the faraway look in them. He delicately sips at his soda and I notice that he has his tail wrapped around himself. I can't help but stare at his soda longingly. My throat has been coated with salt and I really need a drink.

Espio must have noticed me staring at him because he flicks his vigilant eyes over in my direction a moment later. He leans over and whispers in my ear, "If you're really so thirsty, I suppose that we can share the soda."

Another shiver runs down my spine as I feel Espio's warm breath next to my ear. I eagerly grab the soda from him and take a large gulp from it. Absentmindedly, I put my hand on the armrest of my chair. I forget that the armrest to my left is actually Espio's armrest to his right since our chairs share the same armrest. Espio's hand is already there and I accidentally end up placing mine right on top of his. Espio glances up at me in surprise and tilts his head at me.

"Sorry," I mouth, quickly tossing the soda bottle back at Espio.

He catches it easily and mouths back, "For what?"

"For accidentally grabbin' yer hand," I reply, letting Espio know that I'm not regretting this date quite yet. Espio stiffens again and frowns. I poke his shoulder gently and mouth, "You can't tell me that ya aren't enjoyin' this at all!"

"I'm not," Espio mouths back dryly before he fixes his polite stare back on the movie screen.

I sigh, realizing that this date isn't all that I thought that it would be. Espio clearly hates being here and I surprise myself by realizing that I'm not havin' that much fun either. Instead of paying attention to Miss Vanilla, I'm busy worryin' about Esp instead. All I can do is hope that dinner will go better.

* * *

_Do you think that dinner will go better than the movies? Review please! :) Also, time for my little personal update. I've decided to go back to my parents for help. It's not a great option, but it's better than winding up dead, right? I started the refeeding process, which is hard as hell and I'm experiencing tons of cramping/bloating, but I guess that it's time to make a recovery. Thanks again for being awesome, guys. :D  
_


	24. Chapter XXIV

**Regular sonic fan: Haha, I know, right? It's like Vector has tried so hard to make this work and it's really not working out for him at all, is it? :P I guess that always seems to happen for poor Vex! Vanilla is definitely way too perfect! She's such a Mary Sue, isn't she? I know, twenty days does sound like kind of a long time and now my mom says that it will probably take two months before my stomach is back to "normal". Long time, right? D: Oh well, I just have to keep fighting through it, I guess! Thanks so much for the awesome comment! *hugs you*  
**

**andypandy123: Yeah, it's like we all make an effort to be nice, but sometimes we all fail at it, right? Nobody is perfect. Thanks for telling me that I shouldn't have to feel iffy about everything. So you read the bible instead of going to church too then? I dunno, I just don't feel all that comfortable in a church, so it's easier for me to read it on my own. And aw, you're welcome! Good luck with all of your big decisions in life. Do you tend to get really stressed out? I'm one of those types of people who gets stressed out over every little thing. :P  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: That's awesome that you've been a gamer for so long! There is nothing wrong with being a total nerd if I do say so myself. So you're into pro-wrestling? How long have you been into that for? :)  
**

**noobheadz: Wow, someone actually stole the Xbox? That's really horrible. I'm so sorry. :(  
**

**Savvy0417: Thanks so much for hoping that I feel better! Your support means a lot to me. *hugs you* And omg, yay, so glad to hear that I'm not alone with those thoughts!  
**

**Spiiiiii: Aw, well, I'm so glad that you're happy to be rereading this story again! You actually have some of it saved on your computer? D'awww, that makes me blush! I had no idea that you liked this story enough to save parts of it on your computer! I bet it's kinda weird to reread it the second time and make connections to what later happens in the story. And I know, right? Stupid Vector did not need to go and pull on Esp's tail, geez. :P I'm so sorry that you ended up feeling sad and leaving FF for a while! Are you back now then? And thanks so much for saying that I'm tough and can pull through this. I don't really use skype anymore, but I've missed you so much too and I'm so glad that we can talk through reviews again at least! Omg, you thought that I would be mad? But why would I be mad? You're like one of my best friends! *huggles you super tightly* I'm really happy that you've been doing well and that you got your grades back! I knew that you would do well on graphics! Are you starting school or have you started already...? *is totally confused by the school systems in England* Is your health and everything okay? I know that we both sort of have the not liking to eat problem. :S But omg, I'm so glad that you posted a review! If you hadn't, I would've been so sad! *hugs again* Sorry for the long review reply there. xP  
**

**Guest: You're definitely right about Espio having flashbacks, poor guy! I agree that the dark of the movie theater probably had something to do with it along with Vector and the tail yanking. You'll see how dinner goes in this chapter. ;) Thanks so much for hoping that I feel better soon. The process is difficult, but I'm trying to hang in there.  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: *hugs back* Thank you so much. :) Support is super nice right now. I feel pretty weak and sick, but I think that I'm finally doing the right thing now. I feel like such a hypocrite going back to my parents though, lol.  
**

**crazyshine: Vector is being pretty foolish, isn't he? He's always coming up with crazy ideas. Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hey there! :) Thanks so much for the support! I ate some oatmeal again this morning! It didn't taste or feel very good after I ate it, but I'm trying to ignore the stomach cramps and do other things like respond to reviews to distract myself, haha. Eating can only get easier in the future, right? I'm glad that you had a great day! Did you have any of your favorite classes today? :3  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Yeah, I hope that Espio is able to have an okay time at the dinner too! We will see! Thanks for commenting on this. :)  
**

**bearvalley3365: I think that you're right about dinner not working out so well. So you think that Espio should take Amy out on a date separately? That could have more potential, I agree. Thanks for the idea about family meetings. I'll keep that in mind!  
**

**Stormyx: Hey, no need to apologize! We all get busy and whatnot. I completely understand. Thanks again for the support on the eating disorder topic. I can understand why a lot of people might not want to get over it because it hurts like hell to get over it and sometimes even I think that the pain isn't worth it. My thoughts on eating disorder fics? Well, I'm okay with them. I've actually written some like that (personal ones that I haven't shared). I think that eating disorders are things that sort of haunt you and the way that your mind works. It's the reason behind why I write dark in general. Omg, the slug in Monsters University is frigging hilarious! I can see why you like Sulley; he's such a sweetie in MI. Do you have any favorite MU pairings? I hate it when characters like Scourge are always made out to be heartless jerks as well. Scourge is a bad boy, sure, but give him some personality at least! Oh no, this fic made you cry? I don't want you to cry! But I suppose that it's a good thing that my fic is making you somewhat emotional, right? xD I'm so sorry about all of your teachers. It sounds like you're having an awful time at school. That's what it was like for me to be quite honest. I would've never been able to be home-schooled, but my dad's uncle left him an inheritance that made it possible when I was in third grade. That was really a blessing for me. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you for this year, okay? :) Ugh, I wish that SOPA would just go and die in a hole already. Everyone that I know hates it. And...sorry for not keeping up with the news, but what's going on with Syria? Thanks for commenting!  
**

**ven bracken: You're right about poor Espio not doing too well on the date. It was a bad idea for Vector to bring him on it, wasn't it? And hm, so the only Amy pairing that you like is SonicxAmy then? I'm open to a few other Amy couples for variety like Shadamy and Scouramy. :P  
**

**Mysterious: Thank you so much for the support! I'm determined to fight it and beat it even if it hurts! I'm so sorry about your dad; that must have been horrible! I'm definitely taking your advice. Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

**zgirl16: Yeah, change your avatar then! :D Sonic and the Black Knight sounds awesome. Who's your favorite character in it? Shadow as Sir Lancelot sounds pretty epic. I'm so sorry about your best friend. Can I ask how she's getting better? Like do you know if she attends a clinic or gets therapy or anything? Today has been harder for me than yesterday was, but I'm still eating and I'm determined not to drop below 65 pounds.  
**

* * *

**Chapter XXIV  
**

_~ Vector's POV ~  
_

The best parts of goin' to the movies are the snacks. The pretzels are nice and salty, the cookies are crunchy and sweet, and the gummy worms are chewy and sugary. If it weren't for my snacks, I probably would have fallen asleep during the movie. All that's happened in the movie so far is a lot of gossip. Girl hedgehogs meet at one another's homes and blab on and on about the guys that they like. Nobody actually seems to be doin' anything about it though. What's the point of a boring movie like this? I dunno what chicks see in this kind of thing.

Espio, however, is having an even worse time than me. He keeps sending nervous glances over to his left where Amy is sitting next to him. A knot of guilt forms at the pit of my stomach. Alright, so I'll admit that maybe I screwed up when I decided to set my buddy up on a date. I really hope that Espio loosens up during dinner so that he can at least summon up the nerve to talk to Amy!

I'm definitely lookin' forward to dinner. The sooner that this movie is over, the better. I've finished my snacks and am so bored by the movie that I find myself glancing over at Espio again. His long tail is curled around his slender body and the tip of it is curled up to his right on the chair. I watch his tail flick around uncomfortably every few seconds before it returns to its natural coil. Esp has kind of a cute tail. It's a lot different than a croc's long, scaly tail.

For some reason, I'm so bored that I end up deciding to play a game with myself. Inconspicuously, I lean against the left side of my chair. Espio doesn't turn or even bother to look in my direction. He's sippin' his soda and has it in a death tight grip. Geez, you'd think that I'm sendin' him to his grave or sumthin'!

Deciding to see just how close I can get to the chameleon without him noticing me fer my own entertainment purposes, I slip my hand under the armrest connecting our chairs and slowly ease it onto Espio's chair. He keeps his eyes down and continues sippin' his soda very delicately. Maybe it's just the dim lighting in here, but Espio's scales look more pink than usual, creating an almost feminine glow around him. I slip my hand forward just a bit and dare to brush a fingertip against Espio's agitated tail. I dunno why I'm doing this. Boredom does strange things to people, I guess.

Figuring that I shouldn't press my luck any further, I start to retreat my hand. Before I know what's happened, Espio has seized my wrist by wrapping his tail around it. He yanks me over to the edge of my chair and mouths over at me, "You owe me big for all of this."

"I don't owe ya anythin' yet," I protest as my hand starts to go numb from the tight hold of Espio's tail on my wrist. "Yeh might enjoy yerself at dinner."

"Hmph," Espio sighs quietly so that only I can hear him. "If I don't, then you owe me."

It's my turn to grunt. I shouldn't owe Espio anything! After all, I set up this whole date thing for his sake! Instead of blabbing on and on about how I owe him, Espio should be thankin' me fer my consideration. Feeling grouchy, I fold my arms over my chest and deliberately ignore Espio. Espio decides that two can play at the game. He releases my wrist and retreats his tail back to his own chair. With an expression that mirrors my own, Espio turns toward the movie screen and folds his arms across his chest defiantly.

Finally, after what seems like an eternity, the movie ends. I'm the first out of my seat. Espio nimbly stands up besides me, but refuses to look at me. It looks as if we're going to play a game of ignoring each other for the rest of the night. Well, if that's the way that Espio wants to handle things, then fine! I won't speak to him either. He's the one being selfish, not me!

Turning my attention to Miss Vanilla, the one who should have been on my mind this whole time instead of my Chaotix "buddy", I offer her my hand to help her stand up. Miss Vanilla graciously puts a small hand into mine and stands up next to me, sending me one of those heartwarming smiles that makes chills run down my spine. Amy jumps up from her chair and the four of us exit the movie theater and step out into a gorgeous sunny day.

"That was a lovely movie," Miss Vanilla states in a whimsical voice once we're all enjoying the fresh air. "The ending was adorable. Thank you so much for bringing me here, Vector. I really enjoyed myself."

"Er, yer welcome," I stammer, deciding not to make any comments on the ending of the movie because I was too busy being annoyed at Espio to think about it.

"Are we going to go somewhere for dinner now?" Amy pipes up from where she's walking next to Espio. "I'm starting to get hungry."

"Right, dinner," I nod, not having thought this far ahead yet. Hell, I haven't even come up with a place that we can go to for dinner yet. Trying not to look like an idiot who hasn't planned out this date, I glance sheepishly over at my party of three and ask, "Does anyone know any places around here that serve good food?"

"We should let the ladies choose where they would like to go for dinner," Espio states in his low, even voice. Turning to Amy, he asks politely, "Do you have any dinner requests?"

"Hm, let's see..." Amy muses, tapping her chin thoughtfully as she comes to a halt. A moment later, her bright green eyes light up and she nods eagerly as she says, "Well, there is this Chinese restaurant just down the road from here. It's pretty good! I tried to get Sonic to bring me there once, but he said that he was too busy to take me."

Espio's expression turns sympathetic and he replies firmly, "Then we will go to that very restaurant."

"Aw, thanks, Espio!" Amy exclaims, sending him a grateful smile. "You're really nice!"

Espio's cheeks turn light pink, but he's smiling and looks happy. You'd think that I'd be happy too now, right? Wrong. For some reason, I don't like the way that Amy and Esp are lookin' at each other. It causes a sick feeling to rise up inside of me. I dunno where this strange emotion is comin' from, but it sure ain't a good one.

Instead of talking to Miss Vanilla like I probably should be doing, I spend the entire walk to the Chinese restaurant sulking. I can't figure out why I'm in such a strange mood and that really seems to be gettin' on my nerves. When we enter the restaurant, I have my teeth gritted. Amy and Espio have started up a conversation about - ya guessed it - Sonic. Espio politely contributes to the conversation and tries to give Amy helpful advice on how best to attract Sonic's attention. He suggests doin' little things for Sonic like givin' him little gifts. Argh. Who knew Esp of all people is an expert on love?

A female hedgehog waitress greets us as soon as we enter the restaurant. She gives us a polite smile and asks, "Would you like a table for four?"

"Yeah. Thank you, ma'am," I say, having a hard time keepin' my manners up.

The waitress brings us all of the way to the back of the restaurant. It's not too busy here, but there is the surrounding sound of idle chatter floating around us as we all take our seats and pick up our menus. We're sittin' pretty close together. In fact, I'm only inches away from Miss Vanilla! I send her an awkward smile as I flip open my menu and start scanning it for somethin' good to eat. I ate some snacks only an hour ago, but I'm starving again. Miss Vanilla returns my smile and sets her napkin in her lap

While I continue searching the menu, I hear Espio and Amy chatting up a storm from across the table! What happened to the shy, quiet chameleon from earlier? I glance over the top of my menu at the couple with narrowed vermilion eyes. Although Espio isn't really sayin' all that much, he's certainly gotten Amy's attention. She's telling him all about her hobbies and about how she's been a part of a female hedgehogs' volleyball league for a few years now. I know that Espio doesn't give a damn about sports, but he looks at Amy with attentive eyes and comments on what she's saying in all of the right places.

Jealousy starts to surge up within me. I know _exactly _why Espio is doin' this. He's tryin' to make me feel bad since he's gettin' on much better with Amy than I'm getting on with Miss Vanilla. It's like I'm too scared to speak to her. Wait, did I just say scared? Vector the croc is never scared! I'm just nervous about screwing things up between Miss Vanilla and myself if I say too much.

Trying to distract myself from the monster of envy rising up in my chest, I turn to Miss Vanilla politely and ask, "What are you goin' to order, ma'am?"

"The vegetables and rice sound delicious," Miss Vanilla replies softly before reciprocating the question, asking, "What about you, dear?"

"Uh..." I trail off, still not having decided what I want to eat yet. I flick my eyes back to the menu and decide upon whatever I glance at first. "I guess that I'll have the spicy veggies dish."

"That sounds interesting," Miss Vanilla says politely.

The two of us lapse into silence again while Amy continues to chat with Espio. I stare at them from under a green veil of jealousy. It's unfair that Espio can get along so well with a girl that he isn't even interested in when I can't seem ta hold a conversation with Miss Vanilla fer more than three sentences!

The waitress hedgehog comes over to us a moment later and asks, "Are you all ready to order?"

"Yeah, I'll take the spicy veggies," I grumble, not really wanting the spicy veggies, but am stuck orderin' them since I told Miss Vanilla that's what I was gonna have in my haste to answer her question.

"I would like the vegetables and rice if that's not too much trouble," Miss Vanilla adds considerately.

"We would like one order of chicken and rice and another order of spring rolls," Espio says, motioning to Amy and himself.

As soon as Espio gets done speaking, my cheeks flame red at my thoughtlessness. I should have ordered fer Miss Vanilla and myself. That would have been the polite thing to do. I tap my foot irritably on the ground from underneath the table. This date really just keeps gettin' worse and worse. It's definitely not helping how Espio is trying to show me up and flaunt how well he can get along with a girl if he puts some effort into it. I try to best him and think up some really intriguing conversation to engage Miss Vanilla in, but nothing comes to my mind.

When the food arrives, I eat much too quickly, just wanting to get this awkward date over with and also wanting to get Espio away from Amy. He doesn't like her and he's just feigning interest in her to get revenge on me. We've been ignoring each other ever since we left the movies. Espio refuses to look at me and sends all of his small smiles in Amy's direction. I try not to glance over at him, but it's hard not to when he brings Miss Vanilla into the conversation between Amy and himself!

The spicy food burns my tongue and my stomach starts to churn grumpily from somewhere inside of me. I'm gonna get a stomachache now probably. Trying to cool my tongue, I slurp down my entire glass of water and watch Miss Vanilla, Espio, and Amy all laughing together and having a good time. How come I was the one who arranged this date and I'm the one who's feelin' left out of it?

Frustrated, I look fer somethin' to distract myself with and pick up a fortune cookie lying on the center of the table. I don't usually put much faith in the silly cookies, but sometimes they're fun to read. After unwrapping the plastic from around the cookie, I crack it into two pieces and pull out the small slip of paper from inside of it with the fortune written on it.

_ Your life is about to change directions. You will learn to put your priorities in check and you will find out something very important about yourself in the next few days._

I stare at my fortune nonplussed. My priorities are already in check. I'm runnin' my very own detective agency, I'm makin' good money with Team Chaotix, and I'm on a date with a beautiful woman. I should be satisfied with my life, but something ain't quite right. Something's off.

"Ooo, look! There's one fortune cookie left!" Amy exclaims from across the table, her high-pitched voice breaking into my thoughts. She nudges Espio and suggests, "Why don't you open it?"

Espio hesitates and then probably more fer Amy's sake than for his own, agrees to it and says, "Alright."

Even though I'm supposed to be ignorin' the fuchsia chameleon sitting across the table from me, I find myself watchin' him out of the corner of my eye as he carefully cracks the cookie open and then reads the fortune inside of it. His cheeks automatically flush pink and he looks at the ground.

"What does it say? Let me read it!" Amy urges, gently easing the piece of paper out of Espio's hand. Her bright green eyes skim over it quickly before she exclaims, "Wow! Your fortune says that you're going to start developing feelings for a certain person that will lead to a relationship. That sounds soooooooo romantic!"

Well, isn't that just great? I've made no progress with Miss Vanilla during this entire date and Espio gets a fortune that says that he's started to develop feelings fer Amy that will lead to a relationship between the two of them. My nasty mood heightens and I decide to bring this date disaster to an end.

"Say, I'm not feelin' too great. Guess this food is a little too spicy for me," I mutter.

"That's a shame," Miss Vanilla says in concern, leaning over and placing a hand on top of mine. This should make me feel better, but it doesn't. She continues on, "Perhaps we ought to leave now?"

I nod a little too eagerly and stand up too quickly, almost knocking my chair over in the process. I save the chair just in time, but hear Amy giggling at my clumsiness in the process. Chewing on my tongue, I stamp out of the restaurant with Miss Vanilla right behind me. Amy and Espio follow at a distance. I can practically feel that arrogant chameleon's little smirk even though I'm not lookin' at him. He's feelin' pretty smug with himself after getting revenge on me for dragging him along on my date. Well, the date ain't over quite yet. A wicked plan hatches in my mind and an evil grin crosses my face. Esp better be watching his back!

* * *

_Uh oh, how do you think that Vector will get revenge on Espio? Review please! :)  
_


	25. Chapter XXV

**Regular sonic fan: You were so right about the date! It totally bombed, didn't it? Vector wants Espio so much, silly croc. :P His revenge definitely won't go well as you'll see in this chapter. xD I'm so glad that Vanilla isn't in most of the games too. Whoever decided to make her a character anyway?! Thanks for the support. I've been feeling down tonight like maybe it's too late. Guess we'll just have to wait and see. =/ Thanks again for commenting.  
**

**andypandy123: I think that your friends are right! You're definitely one of the nicest people that I've ever met on the internet. :) I'm really glad that we're friends! And wow, that's pretty amazing that you read the entire thing twice. Do you like reading then, I take it? I'm not much of a reader myself. Writing is good with me, but reading is just sort of eh. That's good that you don't get as stressed out as you used to! Are you having a nice weekend, I hope?  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: Five years is a long time! I always consider myself lucky if I can keep with something for more than a year. xD  
**

**Laliloo: I love Espio too! *high fives you* I think that most of us do. How are you liking this story so far?**

**noobheadz: Lol, who do you think should run? Vector?  
**

**Savvy0417: Vector is definitely jealous, I agree. It's kind of his own fault though, don't you think? :P Well, I'm working on the ScourgexFiona story right now. It's 24 chapters long so far. I'm thinking that it's about one third of the way done?  
**

**Spiiiiii: Yeah, Espio got payback on Vector! xD I think that he was sort of doing it on purpose and sort of not doing it on purpose if that makes sense? :P It is good if you can't remember Vector's revenge because that will make this next chapter more fun to read, right? Oh god, I would never be able to sort through the fic if it was all out of order. At least you can read it on here in the proper order again! Yay, I'm glad to hear that you're officially back! But noooooo, I liked that story. *sadface* I'm sure that your new one will be ultra amazing though and I'm happy that you're stalking me and my story again. I've been doing some writing lately and now I'm working on a Scouriana story. You know how much I like that pairing. xD I'm so happy that we can talk on here again too and never worry about me getting mad. I'd never get mad at a good friend of mine like you! *hugs tightly* Omg, Wednesday is coming up pretty quickly! Are you excited or nervous for it? I'm kinda glad to have graduated. School is so stressful. Have you ever thought about taking a sleeping aid or anything? I got a prescription drug that pretty much knocks me out if I take enough of it. :P And, well, as long as we eat enough not to die, I think that's okay, you know? Yay for long replies! I love them too, so you can write me long ones as well if you want. :D  
**

**Guest: I'm glad that you liked the last chapter so much! Espio's polite mannerisms seem to put him in a better lighting with the ladies, haha. He does get pretty smug in this next chapter. I think that you'll like Vector's "revenge" because it doesn't turn out the way Vector that wanted it to turn out (as usual). Seriously, when does anything ever go right for him? Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: Oh my god, I know, right? Everything is super expensive and it's about impossible to get a job with today's economy. Seriously, wtf? =/  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hi! :3 I think that all food tastes bad to me right now, you know? Hopefully, that will change with time though. I'm going to have to start counting down the weeks of pain, lol. That's awesome that you had choir! Did that go well for you? And omg, I know exactly what you mean about Vanilla. I hate the way that she acts too. Vectilla makes me nauseous. :P Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Me too! It would be just like Vector to ask Espio about embarrassing things, wouldn't it? =/ Thanks for the review!  
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**bearvalley3365: Hm, that's an interesting thought! Do you think that Espio would panic if he got locked in a closet with Amy? I personally think that he's claustrophobic, so he might not like that so much! Thanks for reading this. :)  
**

**ven bracken: Haha, the cute ones are always the idiots, aren't they? :P That's good to hear that you don't have anything against other Amy couples. How about for Sonic? Do you have any Sonic couples that you like? I ship Sonic with like...six different characters. xD  
**

**Mysterious: I'm so sorry about your doggy! Is he/she doing any better now? Random thought here, but I might get a kitten soon! Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

**zgirl16: Gah, now I'm dying to play Sonic and the Black Knight! Does Shadow have a big role in it? You'll just have to tell me about the game since I can't buy it. :P That's great to hear about your friend. I looked in the mirror today and sort of shuddered at myself. I didn't realize that I looked so bad until now. :S For some reason, I think that self harm and eating disorders go hand in hand. I used to be a cutter and now I'm a burner.  
**

* * *

**Chapter XXV  
**

_~ Vector's POV ~  
_

I'm still busy plannin' my revenge on Espio as the four of us start lazily down the sidewalk. The sun is fading quickly and the horizon has turned to a peach color. I glance over inconspicuously at Amy and Espio who are walking side by side to my left. My teeth grit together as I see a pleasant smile on Espio's face as he looks at the pink hedgehog beside him. I still dunno what's wrong with me. I should be happy for Esp since isn't the whole point of this date about gettin' Espio and Amy together?

I scratch my head and can't believe that I actually wanted these two together only earlier today. I still haven't figured out why I suddenly don't want 'em together, but I don't care about that right now. The only thing going through my mind is getting revenge on Espio. He had no right to steal Miss Vanilla's attention away from me during dinner. 'Course, I didn't really have anything to say to her, but still. I wanna wipe that smug little smile off of the purple chameleon's face and get him the hell away from Amy.

Suddenly, Miss Vanilla speaks up, finally breaking the tense silence as she murmurs, "My goodness, it's gotten very late! I think that I really ought to be getting back to the house now. I've left Cream alone for far too long as it is. Thank you so much for the wonderful dinner, Vector. It was a pleasure spending time with you."

Under usual circumstances, I would have been jumpin' fer joy over Miss Vanilla's words. Right now, it seems like all I can do is smile stiffly and reply, "The pleasure was all mine, ma'am."

"Goodbye, dear," Miss Vanilla says in farewell before giving me one of her special smiles and leaning forward to kiss me gently on the cheek. Before I can really process what just happened, Miss Vanilla has turned and is sashaying down the street toward wherever it is that she lives.

For some reason, my eyes immediately go to Espio. I puff out my chest, happy that he saw Miss Vanilla give me that little smooch. See, Esp? I'm makin' more progress than you are when it comes to this whole romance business. Nobody can turn down an irresistible croc! To my annoyance, Espio really doesn't seem to care that Miss Vanilla just kissed me. He just keeps smilin' that same little smile at Amy and continues ignoring me. Argh! What is it gonna take to get Espio's attention back?

Getting more and more irritated by the second, I lash out in anger and kick the back of Espio's right leg. The poor chameleon immediately loses his balance and topples into Amy. The two of them end up in a tangle on the street with Amy lying directly underneath Espio in what would be an intimate position under other circumstances. Once again, my plan has backfired! Instead of gettin' Espio away from Amy, I've just sent him flying into her.

"I'm very sorry," Espio stammers to Amy, his cheeks flaring bright pink as he finds himself directly on top of her, his amber eyes staring into her sparkling green ones.

"Oh, it's okay. I know that you didn't mean for that to happen. You actually look kind of cute when you're blushing like that," Amy giggles in her girly voice before she leans up and gives Espio a kiss on the cheek. Espio freezes and doesn't move. Now he's stuck on top of her in that horribly awkward position. It's up to me to intervene!

Annoyed at everything and everyone at the moment, I lean down and grab Espio's arm almost violently. After tuggin' him to his feet, I start dragging him away from Amy, calling over my shoulder without a backward glance, "It's time for a very important Team Chaotix meetin'. We've gotta run. Sorry 'bout that."

Espio tries to jab me with his elbow to get me to release him, but my grip on his arm is firm. Sighing melodramatically, Espio, ever the gentleman, says in his typical manner, "What Vector means to say is that we unfortunately must be leaving now. It was very nice getting to know you. I hope that you have a nice evening."

"It was nice getting to know you too! You're a lot different than I thought you would be," Amy calls after us. "We should meet up again some time! Maybe with Sonic too!"

Hell no! I am not hookin' Espio and Amy up ever again! Before Espio can respond to Amy's statement, I drag him around the corner and quickly take in my surroundings. It looks like I just turned into an alley in my rush to get away from Amy. Eh, it will work fer now. Releasing Espio's arm, I give him a shove up against the wall of the alley so that I have him pinned there and mutter, "Yeh wanna tell me what all that was about back there? I think that ya got some explainin' to do!"

"What exactly do you want me to explain, Vector? I didn't do anything at all back there. If I'm not mistaken, it was a certain green crocodile who kicked me into Amy," Espio replies in an even voice, not seeming upset with me, but clearly not happy with me either.

"Yeh know _exactly_ what I'm talkin' about! Don't play coy with me!" I mutter, jabbing a finger against the chameleon's chest. I glare at the little figure before me, but my glare quickly dissolves as I look closer at Espio. The sun has disappeared now and his amber eyes seem to sparkle in the darkness. His eyelids are half-closed and the expression on his face is one of contempt. I might be the one yellin' at him, but Espio knows that he has the upper hand in the situation.

Refusing to back down, Espio bats my hand away from his chest and pulls himself up to his full height as he stares defiantly up at me and says, "Everything that happened tonight was entirely _your_ fault. You were the one who tricked me into this situation. You told me that we had a mission to go on when you really just wanted to embarrass me by setting me up on a date. You cannot blame me for one single thing tonight. In fact, you still owe me quite a bit for the way that you treated me tonight. Pulling on my tail and kicking me when you didn't get your way were immature behaviors."

I'm honestly really shocked that there isn't steam comin' out of my ears at this point. Espio is getting under my skin right now and it's driving me crazy. Foldin' my arms across my chest, I remark loudly, "Well, I definitely won't be settin' ya up anymore dates or doin' anything else nice fer ya after this!"

"Oh?" Espio asks, still holding onto that cocky attitude that he's gained recently. He takes a step closer to me so that we're chest-to-chest and stares up at me with those big amber eyes of his as he states, "Tell me why, Vector. Are you jealous?"

My cheeks turn bright red and I'm glad that it's dark outside so that Espio can't see the way that I've turned tomato red. Stuttering defiantly, I lash out again, "Why the hell would I be jealous of _you_? I wouldn't wanna kiss ya like Amy did!"

A long silence follows my statement and I suddenly realize my mistake. I cringe and turn my head away as Espio points out dubiously, "I was asking if you were jealous of the progress that I made with Amy compared to the progress that you made with Vanilla. I wasn't asking if you were jealous of Amy kissing me."

"'Course ya weren't!" I shout a little too loudly in the small alley. Espio's strong alluring scent is forcing its way into my nose and I take a step backward from him to clear my head. Still defensive, I add, "I knew that."

"You didn't seem to know it only a minute ago," Espio replies doubtfully, clearly not believing my obvious lie. Suddenly, he reaches forward and takes my hand. I glance back at him with guarded eyes and see that he's dropped his cocky attitude for a minute. In a much different tone, Espio starts to ask gently, "Vector, do you-"

"Shut up, Espio!" I yell harshly into the darkness, suddenly hating the little chameleon standing in front of me. I dunno what kinds of feelings he's creating within me, but I don't like 'em. "Just shut yer trap and leave me alone!"

"Fine then," Espio replies coolly, his disdainful attitude already back into place. "But next time you call me, it will be about something business-related. Goodnight."

With that said, Espio turns on his heel and steps out of the alley. I glare after him, noticing the slight sway of his hips and the bob of his tail much more closely than I should. Still feeling hotheaded and wanting to punch someone, I stomp out of the alley and start straight toward home. I run into Sonic on the street as I trudge along.

"Hey Vector!" Sonic calls out in his cheerful voice. "How did the date between Amy and Espio go?"

I clench my hands into fists at the question and look up at Sonic with a murderous expression on my face. I give him a grunt in response to his question and continue stomping down the street. The only thing that I want right now is to forget all about this crappy day and go straight to bed. I try to clear my head, but the image of a certain chameleon with glistening purple scales, shining amber eyes, and a small smile on his face keeps popping up to the forefront of my mind.

Finally, I reach my apartment room and kick open the door to it angrily before smackin' it with my tail to shut it behind me. I rip off my shoes and throw them across the room to let some aggression out before I lift the heavy golden chain off of my head and fall heavily into bed. My stomach churns uncomfortably inside of me, but I don't think that it's just from the food.

Rolling over, I stare at the ceiling and decide to give sorting out my thoughts a go. Alright. First things first. I take a deep breath in an attempt to calm myself. It doesn't do me much good, so I try turnin' up the volume on my music instead. That seems to help a little, but not much.

The first question I tackle has to do with why I'm feelin' so miserable right now. I actually got a kiss from Miss Vanilla, yet, for some damned reason, I'm not even happy about it! Instead, I'm annoyed at Amy fer showin' interest in Espio by the end of the date and I'm even more upset about Espio's stupid fortune that said that he'd be fallin' in love and startin' a relationship with someone soon. I'm jealous of Esp, aren't I? I keep starin' at him through a veil of envy. I can't stand seein' him next to Amy anymore. It makes me feel sick inside and all I wanna do is whisk him away from her.

All of these thoughts lead me to another question. _Why_ am I jealous of Espio? I already know the answer to my own goddamn question, but it scares me and I don't wanna admit it aloud. I'm gonna have to admit it sometime though and now is as good of a time as ever. Alright. I take a deep breath and slowly face the horrifying concept for the very first time. I'm jealous of Amy because...well...it seems as if I might actually have some feelings for Espio.

My stomach tightens into a suffocating knot and I feel like I've gotta throw up. What's wrong with me? I can't have feelings for Espio! That just ain't right. Espio's my teammate and my buddy. What's more is that he's a guy! Alright, so he's pretty feminine for a male, but that doesn't make any of this right. I do _not_ have feelings for Espio and I am _not_ jealous of him and Amy.

...Er, that's a complete lie. I'll never ever be able to admit these strange feelings to anyone though, especially not to Espio himself. I shudder to think of what the rigid little chameleon would do if he knew about my chaotic thoughts concerning him. He'd leave Team Chaotix and never speak to me again!

Stuffing my tumultuous feelings way deep down inside of me, I squeeze my eyes shut and pull my sheet over my head as I try to fall asleep. I decide that it doesn't matter if I have feelings for Espio or not. He's never gonna know about them, so who cares? Using this thought to reassure me, I finally drift off into a restless sleep.

The next morning, I wake up feelin' a lot more calm than yesterday. As I wake up to the sound of my music, I sit up slowly in bed and scratch my head as I think over yesterday's events. Y'know, Espio is actually right. I acted pretty darn stupid and childish yesterday. I shouldn't have kicked him or yanked on his tail. He's right; I really do owe him.

Despite the fact that it's a new day, I find that the slightly amorous feelings that I felt toward Espio yesterday still haven't disappeared. I dunno what it is about Esp that I like so much. Maybe it's that he's my opposite? He's got those small, delicate features, a slender, soft body with just a few slight curves, and his eyes are just so powerful. Ya look into them and yeh feel like yer starin' into a whole new world. It ain't Espio's fault that he creates these stupid feelings inside of me and I've gotta stop treatin' him like dirt because of them. Right now, I owe him a big apology fer the way that I behaved yesterday.

Determined to go and make up with Espio, I get out of bed and decide to take a quick shower to look my best. After the shower, I throw my chain over my neck and step into my shoes on my way out of the door. I'm not exactly sure what I'm gonna do for Espio yet, but it's gonna be good. He deserves somethin' big from me after yesterday. Now that I think about it, I also lost my temper with him in the alley and started yellin' at him like a complete nutcase.

Making up my mind, I decide to go to the store. I'm gonna browse until I find the perfect thing fer Esp and then I'm gonna buy it for him regardless of the cost. I've gotta show him how much he means to me - er, that he means to Team Chaotix - before he quits the team after my stupid behavior from yesterday.

* * *

_Hm, do you think that Espio is considering leaving the team? Review please! :) Um, random note, but I'm feeling extremely down tonight and kind of scared like I don't think that I'm going to make it...if anyone has a spare hug, I could use it. Thanks, guys.  
_


	26. Chapter XXVI

**Regular sonic fan: It's definitely about time that Vector realizes his feelings for Esp, I agree! I'm really glad to hear how much you liked the last chapter and I hope that you like this next one too! Someone super unimaginative definitely came up with Vanilla, I agree! *nods* I mean, who puts a crocodile and a rabbit together? *shudders* And thank you so much for the hug and support...sometimes it just seems too awful and scary to get through and eating just hurts so much. :(  
**

**andypandy123: You're very welcome! Thank you for saying the same thing about me as well. That would be awesome if we could meet in real life. I think that we'd be really great friends. Wow, I'm even more impressed to hear that you've read it twice despite not being much of a reader! I'm more of a writer though, so I completely get what you're saying. I'd encourage you to publish some of your work, but I understand what you're saying. I take criticism to heart and it can really ruin your day, I agree. You'll have to let me know how school on Wednesday for you goes! Only three more days until then! ^^  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: Acting and sports, huh? Are you involved in any sports at the moment? I was on the swim team for five years, but I've never really been good at sports tbh.  
**

**Alethe-Hedgefox84: That's okay for not reviewing again until now. Sorry for not responding to your review until now. I didn't get it before I posted the new chapter last night. Things have been kind of rough for me lately. How about for you? You have a busy week coming up ahead of you with school and all. I agree with you about Vector; he was really being a jerk in the last chapter. Hope you like this one!  
**

**LuluCalliope: Thanks for saying that. *hugs* Things are just...difficult right now, you know?  
**

**Savvy0417: Thank you so much for the hug! *hugs you back* I hope to be feeling better soon too. And yay, so you're excited to read it? It's sort of like one of those high school setting fics, haha.  
**

**Spiiiiii: *hugs back forever and ever* 1000 hugs is just what I needed today! It is kind of scary dealing with this sort of thing, especially because I get chest pains/breathing problems sometimes, but I will just try to fight through it. I'm glad that you liked the last chapter! It took Vector long enough to figure out that he likes Espio, you know? Stupid croc. xD Yeah, that's a good thing that you don't remember all of the details of this story so it's like new again. Well, some parts of it anyway. I did like your old story, but hey, your new one sounds amazing too! I can understand how you got stuck with it if you didn't have a plot for it. I can't write a fic unless I've come up with a plot for it beforehand. Yay, so you'll read my Scouriana fic? *looks hopeful* That would be awesome! It's a pretty AU fic and it gets really dark later because I like dark stuff as you know. xD And omg, I like too many Sonic pairings. I suddenly like Rosy a lot. What do you think of her? :P And good luck for Wednesday! You'll have to tell me all about it when you come home. You're still on Tumblr? I can only keep up with this site these days. I suck at keeping up with websites. Hopefully, your sleeping will go better. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you. And same, I can never do that five a day thing either. I wonder what moron came up with that. xP Thank you again for hoping that I'll start doing better. I'm here for you through thick and thin too! *huggles tightly*  
**

**Guest: Haha, I like the Espio stomping past Sonic bit too. Apparently, the date with Amy did not go as planned. :P You're so right though - Vector can smooth talk Espio into anything if he tries to. Thanks for the encouragement. I'll try to pull through. Sometimes the pain gets the better of me, I guess.  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: *hugs tightly* Thank you! It's good to hear that someone has confidence in me. I'm feeling better about things today.  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Thank you so much for the spare Charmy death hug! *hugs you back* I've been feeling really down lately, so the support of my online buddies is very important to me! Yeah, food tastes icky right now and I feel really nauseous whenever I try to eat. It's a bad feeling, you know? Ooo, I love the Circle of Life from The Lion King! I love that movie! How about you? Thanks again for the support. :)  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Yeah, I agree with you there. Thank you so much for the hug! I could really use one. *hugs back tightly*  
**

**PreyasRules: Thank you so much for the hugs! I could definitely use them right now. *sends you mega huggles back in return* I'm glad that it's going well for you and your friend! I felt so bad for Randy and the hearts moment too. I guess that's the moment where Randy became Randall, you know? Ooo, that's exciting that you and your friend are going to the formal together! When is that if you don't mind my asking? I've never been to a dance before. *looks sad* And ugh, dads are always cheapos, you know how they are. *rolls eyes at them* That's so awesome that you got to ride in a limo! I've never gotten to ride in a limo before, but I've always wanted to. And yay, you got out of shopping! Yeah, maybe some other time when I'm not so scared about dying, haha. I can't believe that AmyxEspio and Vectilla exist! Technology sucks sometimes, doesn't it? Thanks for commenting!**

**bearvalley3365: That's a good thought about Espio. Vector isn't treating him very nicely, is he? I wouldn't blame him for wanting to quit the team right now either. Thank you for the advice. I've been praying and I feel slightly better today. :)  
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**ven bracken: Thanks for the panda hug! *hugs back* I agree with you about Espio not about to quit unless Charmy wants him to. So Sonic is your role model? What role model qualities do you see in him?  
**

**Mysterious: Hugs, yay! *huggles you back* Thanks a ton! I hope that your dog continues to feel better. And aw, you're allergic to cats? I'm allergic to dogs! xD Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

**zgirl16: *hugs back* Thank you so much for your faith in me. Sometimes I have such a lack of self confidence in myself, you know? I definitely think that bullying has something to do with it. Have you ever been a self harmer? You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. And wow, that's awesome that you can play as Shadow! I know who I would be playing as in the game. ;)  
**

* * *

**Chapter XXVI  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

The sun streaks in through my window, alerting me to another new day. Since I'm in the house all alone, I turn from my back to my stomach and bury my face in my pillow once more. There's no need to get up early. Charmy is at Cream's house having a sleepover with her. The sleepover was actually my idea. When Vector told me to meet him at the movie theater yesterday, I was immediately suspicious and certain that Vector was up to no good. That's why I set up the sleepover for Charmy. Vector has already introduced Charmy to things thathe shouldn't even be aware of yet. I don't need him influencing Charmy any more. As much as Vector likes to think that he's part of our family, he'll never be able to break through the bond that Charmy and I share. We will always be the closest. Well, at least I like to think that. I think of Charmy as my own child and I would do anything for him.

As I wriggle under the covers and try to get comfortable, I reflect on yesterday's events. I don't know what gave Vector the nerve to try and set me up on a date. I've told him on several different occasions that I have no interest in girls. Does Vector listen to me in regards to any of this? No. Does the thick crocodile have any respect for me? No.

A wry smile turns up the corners of my lips as I remember how I got my revenge on Vector by engaging Amy and Miss Vanilla in conversation all during dinner. I had deliberately left Vector out of the conversation, and being the slow-witted reptile that he is, he hadn't been able to find a way to regain Miss Vanilla's attention. I never flirted with either woman, so I feel no shame at all. Although I am quite shy around the opposite sex, I can usually repress my emotions and act as a polite, well-mannered chameleon if I feel like it.

Surprisingly enough, by the end of the night, I found that I actually liked Amy to some extent. Although she can be extremely bubbly and a bit overly enthusiastic at times, I consider her a friend. Miss Vanilla, however sweet of a rabbit she is, will never be someone that I can think of as a friend though. A good fifteen to twenty years separate us in age. I'm honestly surprised that she even considered going on a date with Vector. I suppose that age makes no difference as long as the two of them like each other though.

..._Do _they like one another though? Vector hadn't been making much of an effort with Miss Vanilla yesterday. Perhaps he's just shy around his object of infatuation. I'm not certain about this though. Whatever goes through that crocodile's head is a mystery to me.

By the end of the last night, I had accomplished my goal and had made Vector's night downright miserable. I still don't feel bad about it. He deserved it for ignoring my wishes that I had made quite clear to him on several occasions. Vector does not seem to think of me as an equal. He seems to think that he can boss me around and treat me like a minor just because he's the leader of Team Chaotix and the oldest of our group. After I showed him up last night, I hope that his reasoning will change.

The sunlight starts dancing on the cream walls of my bedroom, urging me to get up. Figuring that I might as well stop wasting the day away, I reluctantly tug the covers away from my body and slide nimbly to the ground before meticulously making the bed. I'm very particular about keeping the bed neat and tidy. I suppose that this is because I was forced to lay on a dirty bed stained with blood and smelling of sex night after night when I lived in my mother's house with Bryce sharing my bedroom.

Once the bed has been made, I slide my feet into my sneakers, tug my gloves with the thick cuffs over my hands, and then make my way to the kitchen. It seems rather quiet in the house today with Charmy gone. Sometimes I like the quiet, but it makes me feel lonely on other occasions such as this morning. I find that I keep glancing over at the clock and hoping that Charmy will come home soon. Of course, knowing Charmy, he'll probably spend the rest of the day at Cream's house.

As I start fixing myself some tea, I surprise myself by thinking that I'd even prefer Vector's company to this loneliness. I don't think that Vector will be giving me a call anytime soon though. He lashed out at me quite harshly after dinner last night, furious at the way that I had ruined his date with Miss Vanilla. Cool and composed as usual, I kept my calm with the rabid crocodile and told him to only call me again when he wants to talk about something business related. Otherwise, Vector is to leave me alone.

After fixing my tea, I cup the warm mug in my hands and retreat to the wooden table. Perching on a chair, I look around the room, missing the sound of Charmy's video games and of his excited exclamations. No wonder Vector has those headphones of his constantly blaring loud music in his ears.

As I sip my warm tea, I absentmindedly reach out and pluck up yesterday's newspaper. I never got around to reading it yesterday what with the drama that Vector got me into. Prepared for a nice, relaxing morning, I settle back in my chair and flick the newspaper open. Not much is of interest there. I turn through a few more of the pages before finding an article on crime.

Unable to help myself, I read the entire article and feel my stomach twist into a knot by the time that I reach the end of it. The article talks about the criminals who have been caught and imprisoned in the last month within this city. After reading about how a rapist got off with only a year imprisonment, I crinkle the newspaper into a ball and push it to the edge of the table. Anyone who is twisted enough to violate another being in that way should be locked up for life at the very least.

Staring into my mug of tea, I remember the details of the first time Bryce raped me. Even now, many months later, I can still clearly recall the way his crimson colored eyes bored into mine, the way that he whispered quiet, taunting words into my ear, and the way that he took me without any hesitation or concern for the pain that I would no doubt feel. Bryce made me feel so dirty. I still can't make myself feel pure again even after scrubbing myself raw over and over again. Keeping my body clean has always been important to me.

I squirm uncomfortably in my chair and wrap my arms around myself at the unwelcome thoughts flooding through my mind. Bryce has turned me into an isolated, unfriendly chameleon. It's all because of him that I have no real friends. Vector probably doesn't consider me a friend after yesterday. Perhaps I was a little cold with him, but I had to make my point clear. I will not be treated as any less than his equal. I will not be bossed around and that's all there is to it.

Unsure what to do without my cafe job or Charmy to keep me occupied, I find that I'm actually missing Vector. At least when he's around, he gives me something to do because I constantly have to keep an eye on him to make sure that he stays out of trouble. Honestly, despite however much I choose to complain about Vector, I really do like him deep down. He's my opposite, yes, but he does seem to care for me at times when he's not too busy being selfish.

Ding dong! The ringing of the doorbell immediately sends me jumping off of my chair and flying toward the doorway. It must be Charmy back from Cream's house already. I wasn't expecting him for a bit, but I'm certainly not complaining that he's home early.

Once I reach the door, I undo the complicated lock and open it. To my utmost surprise, it's not a hyperactive little bee standing before me in the doorway. Instead, it's Vector looking sheepish. What's he doing here? I thought that I told him not to call me again only yesterday. I suppose that coming over isn't exactly the same thing as calling, but still.

Although I'm actually more pleased than displeased to have Vector here, I decide not to let him know this and instead put a hard expression on my face as I say in an icy voice, "Hello."

"Hey, Esp," Vector greets me, still looking sheepish. He notices the way that I'm blocking the doorway and cringes before adding, "Look, I just wanna talk. Can I come in fer a few minutes?"

I scrutinize the crocodile with wary eyes. He seems to be in a much better mood than yesterday. In fact, he looks apologetic. The only thing that I don't like is the way that he happens to be holding his hands behind his back. It appears as if he's trying to conceal something from me.

Slowly stepping away from the doorway, I allow Vector inside and reply, "I suppose so."

Sighing with relief, Vector tramps inside, treading dirt onto my clean carpet as usual. At this point, I've pretty much given up on having the carpet in the house clean. The only room in which I must have clean carpet in is the bedroom. Everything in the bedroom needs to stay neat and tidy.

Kicking the door shut behind him with a loud bang, Vector stops hiding whatever it is that he was concealing behind his back and holds out a big, beautiful glass bowl to me as he states in a matter-of-fact voice, "I, uh, got this for ya. I sort of owed ya somethin' after smashing yer last bowl."

"Why, Vector..." I murmur, completely unsure of what to say.

The bowl, to say the least, is much more beautiful than the last one that I had. This bowl is tinted light blue and has a delicate little pattern grooved into the edges of the glass. When the sunlight catches the bowl, it causes it to sparkle and shimmer. I've never had such a beautiful object before. Everything I buy is usually from the discount section of the store that I happen to be at.

Trying not to get too sentimental, I take the large bowl from Vector and stroke the smooth sides of it reverently as I whisper, "I've never had anything so nice before."

Vector stands awkwardly next to me with a half-smile on his face as he replies, "Glad ya like it, Esp."

I quickly hurry over to the empty place on the floor where I kept my last bowl and set the new bowl in the appropriate spot. Just as I imagined it to, the bowl catches the sunlight streaming in through the window perfectly! I clasp my hands together with delight and am content to just stare at my new decoration. My last bowl meant quite a bit to me, but this one is so much more beautiful than the last one.

Remembering my manners, I tear my eyes off of my new treasure and turn to face Vector, thanking him, "This is very kind of you. Thank you."

"Don't mention it," Vector waves my apology away before he adds, "Look, uh, this wasn't just because I wrecked yer last bowl. I wanted to do somethin' nice for you after yesterday. You were right. I shouldn't have set ya up on that date after yeh told me not to. I was being thoughtless."

"You're...you're actually _apologizing _to me?" I ask in shock. I expected Vector to still be upset with me after his little tantrum from last night.

"'Course I'm apologizing. That's what best friends do," Vector nods resolutely.

"Well, thank you for apologizing, Vector. I do appreciate it," I reply, supposing that we might as well make up. Hesitating, I add a bit reluctantly, "I apologize for upsetting you last night and I also apologize that your date with Miss Vanilla didn't go better."

"Eh, it's alright," Vector replies, shrugging off the matter. "Honestly, I dunno if Miss Vanilla is the right one for me or not. I couldn't think of anything ta say to her last night. She didn't look at me much either."

"That was my fault," I admit, not wanting to be the reason for ruining Vector's blossoming relationship with Vanilla. "She certainly likes you."

"I dunno," Vector says, not acting all that concerned over the matter, which I think is a strange thing for Vector. Suddenly, without any warning at all, Vector reaches out and clasps both of my hands in his. The sudden gesture catches me off guard and I instantly flick my eyes up to Vector's. Amber meets vermilion and we just stare at each other for a moment before Vector says all in a rush, "Don't leave the agency! I couldn't run it without ya. I gotta have yeh as part of it!"

"I wasn't thinking about leaving the agency," I reply, looking between our clasped hands to Vector's urgent face, wondering where all of this is coming from. "Why?"

"Ya weren't?" Vector asks dubiously. I shake my head slowly. Vector looks extremely relieved and laughs awkwardly, adding, "Oh. I thought that ya might be considerin' it after I treated ya like crap yesterday."

"No, I have no plans to leave the agency. I need the money as much as you do," I admit in dry amusement.

"Er...Esp, there's somethin' else that I gotta tell ya," Vector adds, squeezing my hands a little too tightly.

"Yes?" I ask, finding it strange that it doesn't feel awkward that Vector is holding my hands like this.

"You...me...uh..." Vector stammers, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. I wait for him to go on. The crocodile isn't exactly the most articulate and sometimes it takes him a while to say things that I probably could have gotten out right away. All in a rush, Vector adds, "Yer not just my partner. I care for ya way more than that. Yer my best buddy and I can't imagine not havin' yeh around. So just...um...stay in my life, Esp."

"Vector, I..." I trail off, finding an unwanted tear dripping to the corner of my eye. Vector really _does_ care for me. He actually says that I'm his best friend and that he likes me for reasons other than the part that I play as a member of Team Chaotix. The way that he's looking at me makes me feel like I'm more than just an unwanted, purposeless chameleon.

"Are yeh actually crying?!" Vector exclaims, sounding horrified. "The last thing that I wanted to do was make yeh more upset!"

"I'm not sad. I've just never had a friend before. Not besides Charmy, that is," I reply in a slightly husky voice.

I would have wiped my tear away, but Vector is still holding my hands. Releasing one of them, Vector reaches forward and wipes the tear from my cheek. Instead of removing his hand after that, Vector cups the right side of my face in his hand and gently tilts my face up to his.

"Look, if yeh haven't had any friends in yer life, then ya haven't met any decent folk!" Vector reassures me. "Yer the nicest, smartest, bestest buddy that anyone could ask for."

I refrain from pointing out that "bestest" is not an actual word because I'm too busy trying to figure out why there's a strange jerk from somewhere inside of my chest. The way that Vector is looking at me, well, I'm not certain how to describe it. It scares me and excites me at the same time.

"Don't be sad. There's nothin' to be sad about," Vector says, suddenly wrapping his arms around me and drawing me close to his chest.

Being close to anyone after Bryce's abuse usually puts me on edge, but I find that with Vector, I feel safe. He may be slow-witted and daft at times, but he's trustworthy and I believe every single word that he just told me. I rest my head against his warm, scaly chest and find that I actually like being close to him.

Suddenly, the door whips open and a loud voice calls, "Espio, I'm home!" Charmy comes flying into the doorway and makes a face, adding, "Ick, I leave for a few minutes and you guys are getting all mushy. Wait, Espio, are you crying?"

I reach up and suddenly realize that tears are spilling down my cheeks. Damn. So much for trying to be a good role model for Charmy. I've tried for so long to keep up the wall between Vector and myself, but it's finally come crashing down and I'm not going to put it back up.

"I'm not sad, Charmy. Remember when we talked the other day about how some people cry when they're happy?" I say in as even of a voice as I can manage.

"Yeah. I know how to make you feel better!" Charmy exclaims before launching himself at Vector and me, yelling, "GROUP HUG!"

* * *

_Do you think that this is a turning point for Vector and Espio? Review please! :) Also, thanks for the hugs, everyone! You guys rock! :D  
_


	27. Chapter XXVII

**Regular sonic fan: Aw, yay, I'm so happy that you liked the last chapter that much! It was pretty sweet of Vector to get that bowl for Esp, wasn't it? He's a caring croc deep down inside! Vectilla sure is a messed up couple. *shivers* I do not want to meet whoever came up with it! Thanks again for your support. You're such a good friend. *hugs* Omg, I would never have gotten the guts to tell your friend the truth, so that's awesome that you did even if she doesn't feel the same way. I'm really proud of you!  
**

**andypandy123: It really is a shame that we happen to live in different countries. I feel like personality-wise we'd get along so well! Haha, well, I don't know if I'd ever get bored enough to read the whole thing! You must be really knowledgeable after reading the whole thing though. What are you currently working on writing if you don't mind my asking? I'm just working on another Sonic story since I'm lazy these days. xD Oh god, your clarinet teacher does sound like a soul destroyer! I prefer it when teachers are encouraging! I'd rather feel encouraged than discouraged, you know?  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: Breaking your ankle hurts like hell! I broke my leg last April, so I know all about that. Did you break your ankle because of being on the rugby team? I broke my leg just from falling over. *facepalms*  
**

**Savvy0417: Thanks! :) And nah, I think that I've already got it covered. I'm going to throw a twist on it and give Amy a split personality disorder. I like dark stories and I've pretty much got the plot figured out for it. Just have to finish Scouriana for now.  
**

**Spiiiiii: I'm not really sure what the breathing problems are from. I think that maybe I get them just because I'm anxious a lot of the time if that makes sense? I dunno, do you ever get that feeling? *feels like a weirdo* Hehe, yeah, at least Vector realized it later versus never. I'll chant for them to kiss with you! xD And yeah, I know what you mean, it's fun to reread something and remember parts that you forgot, right? Aw, well, I don't think that your plots suck at all! I've always liked your stories! *hugs you* I'll let you know when I start my Scouriana fic. I'm thinking about publishing it after I finish this one, you know? Or else neither will get finished for a long time. xD I'm not on dA at all anymore either. Who do you RP as on Tumblr? RPing is always super fun! I meant Rosy as in Rosy the rascal. I've kind of been shipping her with Scourge. *waves at my icon* But yeah, it's impossible to just have one OTP when it comes to Sonic, right? I hope that you start sleeping better! I slept horrible last night too. :P I think that I got like four hours of sleep? I dunno, I kept waking up. And yeah, no one gets the five a day thing, hehe. Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Guest: Thank you so much for liking the chapter and for hoping that I feel better today! I'm glad that you think that the Vector and Espio chapters are so different. It's fun to write about characters with really contrasting personalities.  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: Omg, so true, I could definitely use a group hug today! Thanks for the support! *hugs you*  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Yay for Charmy hugs of doom! *hugs you back* I can always use hugs and support these days. That would be great if food started tasting better soon. Haha, well, I would recommend watching the Lion King at some point! It's a nice classic. Hope you're having a great day!  
**

**FullyEroded: It's totally okay for not reviewing! I'm so sorry about what you've been through. I'm not sure what your situation is like, but perhaps you should think about filing for child abuse? What your dad did was not right. Sorry if I'm being nosy, but I hate to hear about any of my friends getting hurt. *hugs you tightly* I promise not to die as long as you stay around. Sound good? :)**

**Saints-Fan-12: I agree with you there; Charmy is really adorable! Thank you so much for the review!  
**

**crazyshine: Thank you so much for the hugs! *hugs back* Espio and I are both trying our best to make recoveries! Let me know what you think of this chapter!  
**

**Stormyx: It's totally okay about not replying sooner! I totally understand about school. If you wanna do shorter reviews that could be easier for you maybe? It's up to you, of course. :) Thanks so much for supporting me as I try to getting over the anorexia thing. I read that only four in ten anorexics recover, which is just plain sad. I guess that I can see why some people could get offended, but I think that eating disorders are real problems that people should be made more aware of so that they can hopefully be prevented if that makes sense. Let me know what you think of my SulleyxRandall fic if you decide to read that one! It's pretty long and it might be a little dull, but I hope that you like it anyway. I've always hated Mike as well, which you'll quickly notice if you read the fic. Ugh, Scourge molesting women? That's going a bit too far. I see him as a womanizer and maybe a guy who would date two girls at once (he dates Rosy at the same time as Fiona without mentioning it in my fic xD), but I don't see him as an abuser by any means! I do see him as a bad boy though, you know, like someone who will get Fiona to ditch school to go smoke weed with him in the afternoon. xD Oh god, I'm a crybaby inside too. I used to cry all of the time! It's great that this fic pulls such strong emotions out of you! It makes me feel like a better writer! You're very welcome for the support and I wish you the best of luck on Wednesday! Let me know how school goes for you, okay? At least you only have one year of it left. I was home-schooled for a long time, yeah, which worked out because of my health issues. Thank god about the SOPA thing. I hope that it gets shut down now. And ugh, it seems like there's always some war going on somewhere, you know? Thanks for commenting!**

**bearvalley3365: Hm, I think that Espio might secretly be a homo, but I don't think so about Vector. What do you think about this? Sorry, but I'm not adding OCs to this story or to my other ones. I like to stick to writing about canon characters. I don't know what SOAP stands for, sorry.  
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**ven bracken: Haha, so you weren't expecting to see that side of Vector? I take it that it came as a surprise to you then? Hm, now that I think of it, Sonic is a really great role model to have, you're right!  
**

**Mysterious: Thanks! Glad to hear that you liked the chapter! ^^  
**

**zgirl16: *hugs back* Thank you so much for your faith in me. Sometimes I have such a lack of self confidence in myself, you know? I definitely think that bullying has something to do with it. Have you ever been a self harmer? You don't have to answer that if you don't want to. And wow, that's awesome that you can play as Shadow! I know who I would be playing as in the game. ;)  
**

* * *

**Chapter XXVII  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

As Charmy wraps his arms tightly around Vector and me, a strange feeling of unity tingles through my body. Caught up in a tight embrace with my fellow Team Chaotix members, I feel as if I'm part of a family. We're not a family in the technical sense, but we care for one another as if we are a family. Charmy and Vector love me in a way that my genetic family never did. Charmy's wings beat lightly against one side of my body and Vector's strong, secure arm wraps around my other side. With these two by my side, I feel as if I'm invincible. With Vector and Charmy, everything is going to be alright.

Finally, Charmy is the first to pull away, breaking up our hug. He sends me a close glance and then smiles contently as he points out, "Yay, you're not crying anymore, Espio! I knew that a hug would cheer you up. How long has Vector been here for? I would have come home sooner if I knew that Vector was here!"

"He's not been here for very long," I reassure Charmy before pointing proudly at my new beautiful glass bowl, adding, "Look at the bowl that Vector picked out for us. It's much nicer than our last one. Did you have a nice time with Cream? I thought about you last night."

"Yeah, we had fun," Charmy nods, glancing over at the bowl and not showing much interest in it. Vector and I exchange a look and smile at one another. Charmy flies above our heads and complains, "I'm bored. Let's do something! Isn't there a mission or something that we can go on?"

"I'm afraid not," I admit, wishing just as much as Charmy that Team Chaotix had gotten another call mainly so that we can go on another mission and make some money. Although money isn't everything to me, it's an essential aspect to owning a home, paying the bills, and buying the groceries.

"We could go somewhere for a while. Ya know, just to get out of the house?" Vector suggests, shrugging his shoulders.

"Yeah!" Charmy chimes in, nodding his head up and down eagerly. "Let's go to the park! There's a volleyball net there. Maybe we can play some volleyball and then have a picnic lunch?"

"That's a very good idea," I agree, glad that Charmy wants to do something other than play his video game for hours. I have to admit that going to the park and getting some fresh air sounds like something that even I will like doing. Already stepping toward the kitchen, I inform my friends, "I'll go see what we have for our picnic."

"I'll come too!" Charmy adds enthusiastically, hovering at my shoulder as I cross the room.

"Count me in as well!" Vector exclaims, not missing any opportunity to be surrounded by food.

Followed by the two, I reach the refrigerator and pull it open. Unfortunately, there's not much inside of the fridge besides for a block of yellow cheese, some tomatoes, a large cucumber, and some pickles. Frowning, I push the items aside and check to make sure that there's nothing hiding in the back corner of the fridge. Nothing more can be found expect for an old yogurt that expired two months ago. It looks like I need to do some shopping soon. Shrugging my shoulders, I pull out the cheese and the jar of pickles and offer them to Charmy and Vector.

Vector's face automatically falls and he asks in a disappointed voice, "Is that all that ya got?"

Before I can reply, Charmy cuts in and says, "There's got to be something else in the pantry!"

I flinch as Charmy zips over to the pantry and throws the door to it open. I usually try to keep Charmy out of the pantry because all that's in there is junk food. It's too late now though and Vector is staring at the food inside of the pantry as if he's died and gone to heaven. He hurries into the pantry and starts grabbing all sorts of packages of food. By the time that Charmy and Vector emerge from the pantry once more, their arms are full of unhealthy foods. Vector has bags of cookies, potato chips, tortilla chips, and snack mix with him. Charmy is carrying a bag of chocolates, hard candies, and a bag of another sort of candy that I don't even remember buying.

Putting my hands on my hips, I shake my head and interject, "No, we aren't bringing that much junk food along with us. Each of you just pick one thing to bring. I'm going to check the freezer. Perhaps there's something a bit more healthy in there."

"Aw, but Espio!" Charmy whines loudly as I march over to the freezer and open it up. There's nothing in there but ice cream and frozen pizza. I quickly shut the freezer door before Charmy can get any other ideas. Charmy continues complaining, "You never let us eat anything that tastes good! It's always fruits and vegetables with you."

"That's because we need to keep our bodies clean and healthy," I reply a-matter-of-factly. "Just because sweets taste good does not mean that they are actually good for you."

"I bet that Vector eats candy and chocolate! Isn't that right, Vector?" Charmy turns to Vector, sending him an imploring gaze.

"The kid's right," Vector replies, nodding seriously. "A few sweets here and there aren't gonna hurt us."

"Fine," I grumble, hating it when Charmy makes me feel like the bad guy. Sending Vector a glare for siding with the little bee, I resign, "You may both bring two things with you. I will bring the pickles and the cheese. If you know what's good for you, that's what you'll be eating."

"Whoopee! Thanks!" Charmy cheers, deciding on the chocolates and the hard candy. Vector has a harder time deciding, but finally decides on the cookies and the chips. Great. Doesn't it just figure that they would pick the four most unhealthy items out of the selection in the pantry? I wouldn't have minded it so much if Charmy had wanted snack mix and the tortilla chips!

Deciding not to let the food situation bother me too much, I step nimbly over to the closet and retrieve a woven basket and a checkered blanket from within it. I hold the basket out and let Charmy and Vector dump their food into it. I start to step toward the door when Vector takes the basket from me.

"Let me carry it, Esp!" the big crocodile suggests. "It's gotta be pretty darn heavy."

"Thank you, Vector," I reply gratefully since my arms are still sore from when I had to drag the jewel detector around from the other day.

The three of us step outside and are immediately greeted with a face full of bright sunlight. Despite the fact that the scorching hot sun will dry my scales out, I welcome the warmth for now and tilt my face upward toward its brilliant glare. Charmy starts humming as we start down the sidewalk. Vector absentmindedly bobs his head up and down as he jams to his music from next to me.

As the three of us stride along, I start thinking more about Vector's recent behavior toward me. Ever since the night that I went out to steal the jewel detector, he's been acting differently toward me. I haven't been able to figure out why though. Try as I might, not one single reason for Vector's odd behavior pops into my head. The only conclusion that I can reach is the fact that Vector really does cherish my friendship as much as he says that he does. When I look into Vector's eyes, I can tell that he's not hiding anything from me. Unlike myself who has had to suppress several emotions from months of abuse, Vector wears his feelings on his sleeve. I'm so glad that I finally have a friend in him. It no longer matters to me whether he's a bit slow-witted and clumsy. He cares about me and that's what I've always wanted; someone who cares and likes me for _me_.

"I just love picnics!" Charmy exclaims, cutting through my thoughts. "Do you know why, Espio?"

"No, I don't know why," I reply, glancing over at him curiously. "Why, Charmy?"

"Because they're so much fun!" Charmy yells out enthusiastically, causing several hedgehogs walking down the street to glance over in our direction. They merely smile at Charmy and then continue on their way. Charmy, unaware of the curious gazes that he's drawing to our threesome, continues on in his same boisterous voice, "What's even better is that, you, me, and Vector are going on it together!"

"That does make it special," I agree with a small smile in Charmy's direction.

Charmy grins at me and grabs my hand happily, swinging it back and forth as we continue on to the park. Although he can't hear our conversation with his loud music banging in his ears, Vector glances over at us a moment later and notices Charmy and me holding hands. I'm staring straight ahead of myself when I suddenly feel a strong, firm hand grasp my free one. Confused, I glance over in Vector's direction, wondering what he's doing.

"Um, Vector?" I ask a bit awkwardly, a faint blush crossing my cheeks. "What are you doing?"

"Er...nothin'," Vector replies, blushing tomato red and immediately dropping my hand.

For some reason, I feel almost disappointed when Vector drops my hand. Still though, I can't have him holding my hand in public! I know that he doesn't mean anything by it, but anyone looking at us will assume the worst - that we're a couple. I certainly can't have that!

The three of us arrive at the park a few minutes later. I sigh happily, feeling much more at peace in the calm park than on the busy streets. Luckily, it's the perfect day for a picnic. The sky is blue and shows no sign of rain and a very gentle breeze keeps us from getting too hot. What's even nicer is the fact that the park is mostly empty. The only other figure in the park is a female fox sitting and reading under a tree on the far side of the park.

"What should we do first?" I ask Charmy and Vector, raising an eyebrow at them.

"Let's eat!" Vector exclaims loudly. "I'm starving!"

"When are you not starving?" I point out dryly even though I don't protest and start setting out the picnic blanket.

Five minutes later, the three of us are sitting on the picnic blanket and are crunching on pickles, cookies, and candy. I'm certain that it's rather obvious who is eating what. Vector is attacking the cookies ravenously, Charmy is shoving candy into his mouth as fast as he can, and I'm the healthy one eating the pickles.

"You know," Charmy points out through a mouthful of candy. "It's almost like we_ are_ a family! Having you two around is just like having parents really."

"Heh, ya think so?" Vector asks before puffing out his chest and elbowing me gently, adding, "We're better than havin' parents though, aren't we, Esp?"

"Well, I do try my best to take care of Charmy," I point out modestly, still not very good at taking compliments or praise of any sort.

"I think that you two could be my parents! Well, if you were bees I mean," Charmy says as he realizes his logic failure.

Vector laughs aloud, spraying cookie crumbs all over. A few land on my knee. I send him a slightly disgruntled look and brush them off of my shiny purple scales before nibbling lightly at my pickle. I practically spit it out a moment later when Vector smirks and adds, "Espio makes a good mother, doesn't he, Charm?"

"Um..." Charmy shrugs his shoulders sheepishly, deciding not to answer that question.

Shooting Vector an annoyed look, I stick my nose up into the air and reply, "I'm just as male as you are! Just because my scales happen to be purple does not mean anything about my gender!"

"Oh, Esp, don't take everything so seriously," Vector rolls his eyes, suddenly leaning over and wrapping an arm around my shoulders as he drags me across the blanket toward him so that I'm leaning up against his side. Giving my shoulder a light cuff, Vector adds, "We're just teasin' yeh a bit. Ya know that we still love ya."

I'm a little taken back at the comment, so I say nothing. Love? What is it? Do friends love each other? I suppose so. I've never figured out the definition of love even after hours of thinking about it as I lay on my back in the little bedroom in my mother's house that had become a nightmarish pit for me.

"I know what yer problem is! Yeh just need to sweeten up a bit and I know the perfect remedy for that!" Vector states triumphantly. I give him a wary glance as he reaches across the red and white checkered blanket and picks up one of the small chocolates from inside of the bag. He holds it in front of my mouth and says, "Open up, Esp!"

I frown and open my mouth, about to explain how chocolate is bad for the body and the negative consequences that come from eating it. Unfortunately, I don't get to discuss the downfalls of chocolate. When I open my mouth, Vector crams the chocolate between my lips, forcing me to chew the sweet and glare at him the whole time.

After I finish chewing, Vector asks, "What did ya think? Yeh can't tell me that ya hated it because nobody hates chocolate!"

I hesitate. The chocolate actually didn't taste that bad. It was rather good. The only reason that I have an aversion to eating it is because it's so unhealthy for you. Reluctantly, I admit, "I suppose that the chocolate wasn't that bad."

"Oh, c'mon! Ya know that yeh loved it," Vector rolls his eyes at me.

"I wouldn't go that far," I reply, holding up a hand in warning. "Just because I said that I-"

Before I can finish my sentence, Vector interrupts me by popping another chocolate between my parted lips, adding, "Here, have another one! We're gonna sweeten ya up yet!"

Not really that upset, I send Vector a mock grimace and poke his scaly side, mumbling between a full mouth, "You bastard! You better watch out because I'm going to get you back for this."

"Heh, hit me with yer best shot then," Vector replies, sending me a snarky smile as he tightens his arm around my shoulders. That's when a strange thought occurs to me. Is Vector actually _flirting _with me?

* * *

_Do you think that Vector is flirting with Espio? Review please! :)  
_


	28. Chapter XXVIII

**Regular sonic fan: I'm so glad that you liked the last chapter so much with the flirting and the chocolates and everything! It was a lot of fun to write. Who doesn't love flirty Vector, you know? Someone messed up in the head definitely created Vectilla. *nods* Thank you so much for being here for me. I'm always here for you too, you know that, right? *hugs you* I'm glad that you told too. Sometimes it feels really good to get something like that off of your chest.  
**

**andypandy123: Hm, no ideas yet unless you want to take a plane over to Michigan. :P I bet you did feel exhausted after reading the whole thing. I'm usually surprised at myself if I can read an entire book. Your Sonic story sounds interesting! Are there any pairings or anything in it? Sorry if I'm being nosy. I love Sonic too much for my own good. And haha, you're like the opposite of me. I say that holidays can last forever and I'd be totally good with that. Guess I'm lazy! Wow, if I had him for a teacher, I would've quit ages ago!  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: Ouch, that must've hurt. Did the broken ankle take you a long time to recover from? I get what you're saying about your dad. My dad was like this huge soccer champ and of course I can't play soccer to save my life. Go figure, right? =/  
**

**Savvy0417: It's nice when Vector and Espio are getting along, isn't it? Those are rare times it seems like. xD I'm sort of going to do Scoursy and Shadamy in the fic I was telling you about. Rosy and Amy are going to be twin sisters and I'm going to write in both of their POVs. Glad you're excited for it! *high fives you*  
**

**crazyshine: ...Yes, it is. *hides underneath my desk* Is that a bad thing? Sorry if you dislike the pairing. **

**Spiiiiii: Haha, that is so true, Vector is flirting with Espio regardless of whether or not he's trying to. Knowing Vector, he probably is trying to flirt with Espio though because he's finally admitted to himself that he likes that little chameleon. xD I'm sorry that you shake a lot! *hugs you* Did that just start up? My breathing problems seem to be getting worse. *sadface* The kiss will come eventually, yeah! Maybe that's good that you forgot when it comes though so it will be a surprise, right? That's so true, it's like impossible to just have one favorite Sonic couple. What are your top favorite Sonic couples atm? And I'm totally not surprised that you RP as Espio. I bet that you make an awesome Espio. Now I kinda wanna try RPing as Rosy or Fiona, but I don't really have the time. Your plan sounds like mine. :P I always nap in the morning. Today I was just like so exhausted. How about you? Thanks for reading!  
**

**Guest: I'm really glad to hear that you liked the last chapter! I always enjoyed that one myself. Writing about Vector shoving chocolates down Espy's throat was fun and I guess that Espio is one to over-think things, isn't he? xD Thanks for the review!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: *hugs* Oh no, not anymore. I made them sign a legal contract before I came back home that basically says that they can't ever force me to do anything or interfere with medical shiz. They're even getting me a kitten! I honestly think that they just don't want me to die at this point. My mom said that my dad went to work crying the other day over me. Who knew that they cared, you know?  
**

**FullyEroded: Are you sure that being placed in foster care wouldn't be better than the situation that you're currently in though? Your dad sounds extremely abusive. Sorry again if I'm being nosy, I just hate to hear about people being hurt. :S And d'aww, that's sweet of you to say. You always make me blush. :) I've been cheated on before, so I know that feeling. As long as I'm around, I promise that fanfiction will never end! Hope today is a better day for you!  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Hehe, fangirl dreams are the best, aren't they? I think that Vector was flirting with Espio too. ;) Thank you so much for the review!  
**

**Stormyx: Oh no, don't feel bad about long reviews at all! I love replying to them, so it's all good. *hugs you* Oh geez, yeah, some of the eating disorder stereotypes are stupid. Like the ones that say that recovery is fast (yeah right) and the ones that say it's a choice. It's not - you're either dispositioned toward it or you're not. It's genetic. Also, I found this curious, but apparently bulimia is more common than anorexia. I could never imagine binging and purging, so I found that odd. Mike is pretty bossy and you have to admit that MU was pretty much like Mike University, you know? xD Your imagination isn't strange at all! I think that Scourge has a real life club of fangirls who swoon over him (me included, haha). Although, okay, I will admit that I did make Scourge a pimp in one of my stories because he seemed to fit that role. :P Never feel corny for writing anything! I love hearing your thoughts. I did try to make the jail/court scenes as realistic as possible, so I'm glad to hear that my point got across! Oh, you have two years left? Damn, that seems like a lot longer than one year. :( Well, if you ever need support or encouragement, I'm here for you, okay? SOPA would make the world a boring place. I don't get why people keep trying to get it to resurface. I mean, just let it die already, sheesh! Thanks for reviewing! :)  
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**bearvalley3365: I'm really glad to hear that you enjoy this story so much. That means a lot to me to hear that! And ah, you mean SOPA. Yeah, it would be a shame if it passes. I guess that we just have to cross our fingers and hope for the best.  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Heya! Lol, so it's on your bucket list for now? I'm glad that you had a great day! Remastering old recordings sounds like fun. Do you do that often? I'm so-so today, just really tired. I feel like I could sleep all day sometimes, you know? Hope today goes well for you too!**

**Alethe-Hedgefox84: That's totally okay about not responding sooner. I understand completely. :) But omg, you had reading for summer vacation? What did you have to read? That must've sucked so much. I've been doing worse actually. I'm getting pretty scared about my health now, but my parents are being very sweet and understanding. I guess that whatever happens happens and is what's meant to be. Good luck with your first day at school tomorrow! You'll have to let me know how it goes, okay? And aw, I'm glad you liked the chapter so much! I'll read the story when I'm feeling a bit better. ^^**

**ven bracken: Lol, I think that you're right in thinking that Vector is flirting with Espio! xD Do you think that Charmy will pick up on it?  
**

**Mysterious: I agree with you completely! Vector, you can deny it all that you want, but we totally know that you're trying to flirt with Espio! Thanks so much for commenting!  
**

**zgirl16: It's totally okay about being busy. We all get busy at times, don't we? :) I'm sorry that you've been bullied in the past as well. *huggles you* It's amazing just how much influences stupid people can have on us, isn't it?  
**

* * *

**Chapter XXVIII  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

As soon as the rather disturbing thought enters my head, I try to push it aside. Of course Vector is not flirting with me! I'm just being extremely paranoid as usual and am misinterpreting his snarky sense of humor. Still though, I could have sworn for a moment that the way he had been looking at me had been a bit more than friendly. Suddenly feeling distraught, I stiffen with Vector's arm still around me and edge away from him, needing my distance. Vector immediately pulls his arm aside, respecting my need for space. I send him a grateful look, still unsure whether or not I'm over-thinking this.

_Of course_ I'm just over-thinking this! After all, Vector is a ladies' man. He has Vanilla's interest and is clearly infatuated with her. Most likely, the two of them will be going on another date in a few days. Then again, now that I think about it, I remember that Vector didn't seem all that interested in Miss Vanilla during the movie and the dinner date. That's my fault for intentionally stealing her attention away from him though. No wonder he was bored. Feeling a little guilty, I tug on a small patch of grass next to me and tear off a few green blades.

Charmy is telling Vector about - no surprise here - his video games and so I'm allowed to stay out of the conversation and continue mulling over my own thoughts. It would be very strange if Vector was flirting with me. Actually, "strange" is probably not the word that I'm looking for. I wrack my brain for a better word, but come up with nothing. Could the large, masculine crocodile actually have some interest in me? The way that he presented the glass bowl to me earlier and the way that he told me how much I mean to him not as just a member of Team Chaotix but also as a friend might hint to something more.

My insides churn uncomfortably and I stop reaching for another pickle with my hand extended in midair. I place the hand on my lap with my other one and shoot Vector a long, sideways look. He's laughing at something that Charmy is saying. I should be sickened at the thought of Vector trying to flirt with me, but strangely enough, I'm not.

I lean against the rugged bark on the trunk of the tree behind me and continue observing Charmy and Vector. I've never really considered my sexuality before up to this point. After Bryce showed me that a relationship was about nothing more than sex, rape, and abuse, I vowed never to get into another relationship and have viewed myself as asexual ever since.

Would it be wrong of me to try flirting back with Vector? I'm certainly not saying that I like him or have any feelings for him whatsoever. I'm against any sort of relationship whether it is homosexual or heterosexual. I just want to find out if Vector is really coming onto me or not.

As if he senses my gaze on him, Vector chooses this minute to look over at me. Our eyes meet and I'm the one to blush and turn away, glad that Vector doesn't have access to my thoughts. If this is all just a misunderstanding, he would probably think that I'm nothing more than a sick pervert to be wondering about whether or not he's flirting with me and...

Damn, I really _am_ over-thinking this, aren't I? I tell myself that it doesn't matter whether Vector is flirting with me or not. I am staying out of relationships and that's all that there is to it. Giving myself a firm nod, I flick my eyes back over in Vector's direction. He's still looking at me. When we lock gazes, Vector sends me a toothy grin.

"Are you two finished eating?" I ask, glancing away from Vector before anything gets any more awkward. I hate the fact that I'm blushing now whenever he looks at me and please someone tell me why my pulse quickens whenever I'm too close to the large reptile.

"Yeah, I'm stuffed!" Vector exclaims. "'Course, the cookies in the bag weren't nearly as good as yer homemade cookies, Esp."

"Mine aren't very good," I reply modestly as I glance over at the empty wrappers and bags lying scattered across the checkered picnic blanket. Picking one up, I shake it upsi-down. A few crumbs fall out of it and land onto the picnic blanket. Sending Vector and Charmy an incredulous look, I exclaim, "Did the two of you really eat all of this food?"

Charmy and Vector exchange glances and look at the ground sheepishly. Charmy admits, "Well, we were hungry..."

"Not hungry. We were famished!" Vector nods resolutely.

"Hmph. Well, don't come whining to me when you both end up with stomachaches," I reply sternly, folding my arms across my chest and still wondering how just a little bee and a crocodile can possibly eat so much food in the matter of minutes. Suddenly, I glance down and notice a trail of ants climbing across my picnic blanket! Glaring at them, I wave a hand in their direction and mutter, "I dislike ants on a clean blanket. They always end up in the house."

"Don't yeh worry, Esp! I'll save ya from the ants!" Vector exclaims, looking around wildly and grabbing a rock from next to him.

"Vector, this really isn't necessary..." I start to say.

Too late. Vector is already crushing the ants on the blanket with the rock. Charmy giggles and cheers him on while I flinch and look away. Vector finishes squishing all of the ants and then turns to me triumphantly, adding, "See? No more ants. Guess that ya won't have to worry about them infesting yer house after all!"

"I suppose so. There might have been a less violent way to rid the blanket of them, but thank you anyway," I admit wryly.

"Aw, that's our Espio. He's always lookin' out fer the best of everyone - even ants!" Vector murmurs fondly.

"Well, not exactly," I protest, feeling like the center of attention again. "I just don't support violence unless something or someone is evil. Then it must die."

Charmy yawns, obviously finding the banter between Vector and myself extremely boring. He gets up from where he's sitting on the blanket and starts hovering midair as he complains, "I'm bored. Let's do something. Wanna play volleyball now? There's a net right over there to our left. See it?"

Vector and I turn and face the direction of Charmy's finger. Sure enough, there is a volleyball net within a few yards of us. I perk up at the chance to move around and show off my ninja quick reflexes. Vector, on the other hand, does not share my enthusiasm. He groans and mutters, "Charmy, we just ate!"

"You're not getting out of this one," I tell Vector, reaching down and pulling on his arm. "You have to help me take on Charmy. He's definitely at an advantage since he can fly."

"Fine," Vector grunts, allowing me to tug him to his feet and lead him across the soft grass to the volleyball net. Charmy is already on the other side of the net and has picked up the volleyball that was lying at the base of the net. He tosses it above his head and then catches it again while sending us an impatient look.

I'm not particularly good at playing volleyball. In fact, I haven't played it more than once or twice. However, my natural skills and abilities are enough to give me an advantage when it comes to this particular sport. Chameleons are prideful creatures in general and although I've lost a lot of self respect for myself, I like to show off my skills whenever I have the chance to display them. Of course, this has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Vector is watching me right now. Certainly not!

"You guys are so slow," Charmy whines when Vector and I finally reach the volleyball net. "Are you ready?"

"Ready when you are," I reply, taking a stand at the right side of the net while Vector stands toward the left side of the net. I brace myself for Charmy's first serve and prepare to run and dive all over the place to keep the ball from hitting the ground. Something tells me that Vector is not going to be too helpful when it comes to this game.

"Alright! Here it comes!" Charmy shouts enthusiastically before he sends the ball up and over the net.

Thankfully, the ball is sent in my direction and I have an easy time jumping up into the air and batting the ball right back to Charmy. Although Vector makes quite a scene running around clumsily and trying to throw himself at the ball, the entire volleyball match mainly consists of an ongoing battle between Charmy and myself. Typically, I let Charmy skunk me, but today, I put up more of a fight and do my best to keep the team composed of Vector and myself not too far behind Charmy when it comes to points.

"Espio, you've really improved!" Charmy compliments me randomly as I manage to score on him once again.

Panting, I give him a half-smile. We're already at game point, but I feel as if I've done a rather good job considering the fact that Vector is being more amusing than helpful. Speaking of Vector, I see him eying me rather closely at the moment. I quickly turn away from him and wait for the next ball. It's a very warm day outside and I'm sweating heavily. After this, a nice cold drink of water will be welcome.

Charmy sends the ball flying over the net. I jump up to get it, and at the same time, accidentally lose my white glove. It slides over my hand, probably because of the sweat, and lands somewhere on the ground. Forgetting about the ball, I glance down and search the ground for it. Smack! Something hard slams into my head and I'm sent falling to the ground.

"Ooph," I grunt as I thud against the hard ground. It was stupid of me to forget about the ball and to search for the glove instead. I deserved to get hit on the head.

"Esp! Are yeh alright?" Vector's concerned voice sounds from next to me.

Flinching at the sudden burst of pain that fires up in my ankle when I try to move, I slowly ease myself into a sitting position and brush the dirt off of my sweaty body, replying, "I think so. It was just a short fall. I'll be just fine."

"Ya landed pretty hard," Vector protests, sending me a dubious look. "Here's yer glove. I'll put it on for ya. Give me yer hand."

Too stunned from the fall to insist that I can put my glove on by myself, I hold out my hand palm up and wait for Vector to slip it over my hand. When nothing happens, I glance upward to find Vector sending me a look of disgust and horror. My heartbeat immediately quickens and I wonder what he's looking at me like this for. I follow his gaze and cringe as I see what he's staring at. The mangled, scarred flesh of my wrist looks worse than usual in the sunlight. I turn my hand to conceal the scarring, but it's too late. The damage has been done.

Reaching forward and seizing my hand once more so that he can get a better look at it, Vector glances from whitish pink scars to my face and asks in a shocked voice, "What the hell happened to yeh, Esp? Don't ya try and tell me that yeh were born with 'em. I might not be the brightest croc, but I ain't _that _stupid."

"It's nothing," I attempt to change the subject and pull my hand out of Vector's tight grip. Unfortunately, there is no winning when a large four-hundred pound crocodile has your wrist in a firm grasp.

"Don't say it's nothin' cuz it's clearly somethin'!" Vector frowns, forcing my palm up so that he can stare at the marks once again. "How did this happen?"

I try and come up with a lie, but my head is still muddled from my fall. All I can think of is the excuse that I told Charmy about accidentally burning myself. Unfortunately, I can already tell that Vector isn't going to believe that. I send him a pleading look and press, "Please just let it go. Nothing happened."

"Clearly somethin' happened!" Vector snaps angrily. "Why won't yeh just tell me what?"

For a moment, I consider telling Vector about what Bryce did to me. I'll never tell him that I was raped, but I could tell him that I was abused in other ways. ...No, I can't do that. It will make me seem weak, and for some reason, appearing weak in Vector's eyes is something that I don't want.

"I'm fine. Now please don't make a scene," I speak in a quiet voice, trying to get Vector to do the same.

Unfortunately, Vector does not take the hint. The volume of his voice only increases as he nods at my wrist and presses, "This is nasty, Esp!"

I feel as if I've just been smacked in the face by another volleyball, except that this time, it hurts worse than before. Nobody has told me that my body is disgusting since Bryce tried to drown me with insults months earlier. I can't believe that Vector of all people practically just told me that I'm repulsive!

Turning my head away from him so that he can't see the hurt in my eyes, I state in a cold voice, "If you find me disgusting, you don't have to be my friend. I never asked for more than a teammate from you."

"Espio..." Vector says my voice in a much gentler tone of voice. I dare to glance back over at him, distrust in my eyes. Vector sends me a caring look as he strokes the scars on my wrist with light fingertips and replies, "Ya know that's not what I meant. I only care fer yeh, that's all. I wish that yeh would tell me what happened. It bothers me that ya don't trust me."

Just then, Charmy flies up and interrupts the tender moment between Vector and myself, exclaiming, "Are you okay, Espio? That was a long fall."

"I'm fine, thank you," I reply, trying to pull my walls back up around myself before I tell Vector something that I'll regret telling him later. Sending him an imploring glance, I add, "Vector here was just helping me find my glove."

"Er...right," Vector agrees, tossing me back the glove.

"Oh, okay. I think that I've had enough volleyball for one day. Let's go back to the blanket!" Charmy suggests, waving us after him.

I pull my glove on quickly and start after Charmy. Even without glancing to my right, I can sense Vector's eyes on me. When I do finally meet his gaze, he's giving me a hard look. I have a feeling that he's not about to let the subject of what really happened to me drop anytime soon. I sigh and look away from him. Perhaps I will tell Vector about what happened...someday.

* * *

_Hm, do you think that Espio will ever tell Vector the truth someday? Review please! :) ...Guys, I'm feeling a bit scared again tonight. I guess that whatever happens is meant to be and that I should just calm down. Sometimes it's just hard though, you know? Sorry for all of this. You're my only friends.  
_


	29. Chapter XXIX

**Regular sonic fan: I know, right? It's like why can't Esp just tell the truth already?! Oh well, that sly croc will find a way to get the truth out of him eventually, I bet. And aw, you are so welcome! :) You're such an awesome friend to me, you have no idea! Thanks for telling me to take it one day at a time. I think that's the perfect advice for me right now. Not having secrets is a great feeling. *hugs you*  
**

**andypandy123: I actually have no idea how expensive tickets are. xD I honestly don't think that I'm going to be going anywhere anytime soon just because I'm so tired all of the time and I want to spend as much time here at home with my parents as I have left just in case, you know? Recovery is hard and regardless of what happens, I want the comfort of home. I don't blame you for going back to bed after you read all of that. :P I go back to bed all of the time just because I feel like it, haha. The crazy plot sounds cool! The crazier, the better in my opinion. xD I have so many favorite Sonic pairings too. What are a few of your favorites? And I can understand why you're excited for school. I was always home-schooled and never really had friends through school, so yeah.  
**

**Savvy0417: Thanks so much! *hugs tightly* I'm glad to hear that I'm not alone no matter how hard things get. :)**

**Spiiiii:Come on and flirt back, Esp! You know that you want to. And hehe, who wouldn't be ogling Espio? :P I'm sorry that you get shaky. I get shaky when I get scared/nervous, so I know the feeling sadly. *nods* Your first day sounds like it could've gone better. I wish that I could've gone with you. We could've had fun together at least, you know? Ah, I love all of those pairings so much! Remember my hint of KnucklesxEspio in this? Well, I don't think that I'll ever get to making an RP account, but I'll let you know if I do. *is extremely lazy over here* I know what you mean about being a nobody. I've always been a nobody, but hey, we're here for each other, right? *hugs*  
**

**FullyEroded: Aw, thanks! I'm really glad that you liked the chapter so much. Thanks for understanding about my nosiness. I care about you a lot too! *huggles tightly* I've actually just had a really hard day, but I feel better knowing how much you care. If there's ever anything that I can do to help you, let me know, okay? Thanks for the kind review!**

**TheMidnightShadow: Wow, that's really too bad about your father. I'm so sorry that he cheated on your mother. I guess that I should be very grateful that my parents have never been involved in infidelity. That's about how long it took for my leg to heal too. *nods* And yeah...isn't it weird how sometimes we don't really enjoy things even if we're good at them?  
**

**Guest: I agree that Vector will definitely manage to get the truth out of Espio at some point or the other! I'm really glad to hear how much you liked the last chapter. Hope you like this one too! And thanks for the comfort, btw. I guess you're right that fear can enhance in the mind. Maybe I'm just making too big of a deal of things. It's just that I still lost weight despite trying to eat and that's kind of depressing. :S  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: Thanks. xD I guess that I can be pretty persuasive at times. And I know, right? She's super adorable. I get her next week sometime. Want me to email you pics? I think that they really do care. It's just...hard at this point.  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: Same here, I never feel like sleeping if I'm sick either. It's just like...you can't sleep almost, you know? Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Stormyx: Of course I enjoy your reviews! They always make my day! *hugs you back* I don't know what I would do with myself if I didn't have friends on here to talk with! An eating disorder is nothing like a cold. It's more like a cancer in my opinion. And what I hate most is when people just tell you to eat more to get better. It's not that easy, geez. =/ Yeah, Mike is annoying. I couldn't feel sorry for him. :P Take your time with reading the other story. I don't review respond on that one, so I prefer if you read this one anyway. Oh god, yeah, I'm a Scourge fangirl! All hail to the king, baby! Lol, sorry, you won't recognize that line unless you've read the comics, but yeah, I love Scourge the most out of all of the Sonic characters. Who's your fav? Surprisingly enough, this story does get a relatively happy ending, which is weird for me. I really do think (or hope *crosses fingers*) that you will like the ending! Wow, that's actually really awesome that school wasn't as bad as you thought that it would be! That's great! I'm sorry that you got too many hugs though. :( I hate that claustrophobic feeling! And yeah, same thoughts here about SOPA! Thanks for reviewing!  
**

**bearvalley3365: I agree with you that Espio should tell Vector the truth! Nothing good ever comes with lying, you know? Thank you for the support. I have been praying a bit and I do feel braver now. Whatever happens is God's plan, you know?  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hello! Aw, it's just so nice to know that you guys all have my back as long as I'm still around! *returns the Charmy death hug* We'll be friends until the end, right? :) I'm feeling more at peace with the situation today, you know? How was your day? That's awesome about how you want to remaster songs for your career someday!  
**

**Mysterious: Yeah, you guys are my only friends, but you're the very best of friends that anyone could hope for! *hugs you* And aw, that would be sweet if Danielle wanted to review this! Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

* * *

**Chapter XXIX  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

The three of us slowly make our way back to the picnic blanket, neither of us particularly in a hurry on this lazy afternoon. Once we reach the picnic blanket, I carefully sit down against the tree and tuck my legs neatly underneath me. Luckily, my fall wasn't too hard and I wasn't injured. The only things that I do have are a few bruises and sore muscles. Then again, when are my muscles _not _sore? With Team Chaotix having me lug around heavy jewel detectors and breaking into stores, it'll be a miracle if I ever recover fully.

"I'm beat!" Vector exclaims, plopping down on the ground extremely close to me. He seems to take a long sniff before adding, "Think I'm gonna take a nap."

With that said, Vector leans on the trunk of the tree inches from me, still breathing deeply. I sniff the air, but don't smell anything other than my own sweaty body. Hoping that Vector isn't smelling me, I shift uncomfortably and lean away from him slightly as I pluck up my book and flip it open to a random page, asking Charmy, "What are you going to do now, Charmy? I think that I'll read for a bit."

"Uh, I'm not sure," Charmy replies, shrugging his little shoulders. He scans the park for a few seconds before his eyes suddenly light up and he exclaims, "Oh look! There's Cream!"

Glancing up from my book, I notice that the young cream-colored rabbit with large brown eyes has indeed entered the park. Smiling at Charmy's enthusiasm, I return to my book and murmur, "You may go play with her if you want. I'll just be here reading and it doesn't look like Vector is going anywhere anytime soon."

Charmy glances down at the snoring crocodile propped up against the tree by my side and giggles, "Yeah, I think that you're right. See you in a while, Espio!"

I watch the little bee fly off to greet his friend. The two of them chat animatedly for a few minutes before running and flying off into the distance. An absentminded smile crosses my lips as the two become little specks in the distance. The friendship between Cream and Charmy is so innocent and uncomplicated. If only all friendships could be like that. The only easy relationship that I've ever had in my life is the relationship between Charmy and myself. With my mother and grandmother, things were always complicated. Things with Bryce were downright abusive. I had hoped that things between Vector and myself would stay black and white, but it seems as if things are slowly turning gray.

Thinking about Vector causes me to turn and watch the sleeping crocodile snoring loudly from next to me. I watch his hard, scaly chest rise and fall. His tail flicks restlessly from side to side as he sleeps. I wonder if he's dreaming about something. If so, what are his fantasies full of? Vanilla perhaps?

Typically, I can concentrate on reading despite noise surrounding me. Not today though. Vector's snores are enough to keep my head on anything but the text that I'm trying to read. I read the same line over three times in a row and still don't know what it says. Sighing, I set the book aside and decide to think things through.

The most pressing matter on my mind is the question of whether or not I should tell Vector about Bryce. It used to be so easy to lie to Vector about my cousin. Excuses would naturally pour out of my mouth to avert the large reptile from the truth. Now, things seems to be changing. I can't lie to Vector like I used to be able to do without a second thought. Even though I know it's for the good of everyone, I can't meet Vector's concerned vermilion eyes and tell him that I haven't been hurt in the past.

I shift agitatedly against the tree, weighing the consequences of telling Vector about Bryce. If I don't tell him, Vector will continue pressing me on the matter. He's a very pushy crocodile and I know that he's not going to let this go until I tell him about Bryce at some point. Also, if I continue to keep this secret from my friend, I'll continue to feel guilty and almost awkward around Vector. I've always had a very strong sense of right and wrong. Clearly, lying is wrong.

On the other hand, what if I do happen to choose to tell Vector about the red-eyed chameleon? I will never tell anyone about being raped because that is far too humiliating to even admit to myself, but I could just give Vector the brief overview of what happened between my cousin and myself. Vector will listen and hopefully understand. I will no longer have to suppress the guilt of lying to him somewhere within me and I'll finally have a heavy weight lifted off of my shoulders. As selfish as it seems, I do want to tell someone about what happened. I don't feel as if I can ever get past the pain all by myself. I need Vector to help me through it. He's helped me quite a bit already. I've been less depressed and have actually had fun in the last few days.

I spend the rest of the afternoon thinking about which decision to make. Finally, I decide on telling Vector the truth. I'm not exactly sure when the matter will come up next, but if Charmy is absent, I will take a chance and tell Vector the truth. As soon as my decision is made, I feel happier. It's as if an unknown spirit is telling me that I'm making the right choice.

Seeing that the sky is starting to darken, I scan the horizon for Charmy and Cream. Instead, I find myself looking at a larger version of Cream wearing a long dress and holding several beautiful flowers in her hands. I accidentally catch Vanilla's eye. She smiles and starts over toward me.

"Hello, Espio," Vanilla greets me politely in her kind, motherly voice. She stops directly in front of the tree that Vector and I are leaning against and murmurs, "It was a lovely day today, wasn't it?"

"Indeed it was," I agree evenly. "I'd say that Vector would say so too considering the fact that he's been sleeping for the last three hours."

Vanilla laughs a delicate laugh and murmurs, "I brought him some flowers, but I suppose that I shouldn't wake him since he's sleeping. Perhaps you could give them to him when he wakes?"

Startled, I blink rapidly twice in a row as I glance from the flowers in Vanilla's hand to the sleeping crocodile next to me. I would never have guessed that the quiet, reserved rabbit picked flowers for loud, boisterous Vector! Perhaps their relationship has more potential than I realized.

Before I can reply to Vanilla, Vector suddenly jerks up and looks around sleepily. His gaze slides right past Vanilla and me before he suddenly whips his eyes back to Vanilla. Rapidly trying to compose himself, Vector sits up straight, adjusts the heavy golden chain around his neck, and gives Vanilla a dashing smile as he says, "Fine afternoon, isn't it, ma'am?"

"Yes," Vanilla nods, a smile lighting up her delicate features as Vector sends her one of his nicest smiles. She leans down and blushes slightly as she presents him with the flowers, murmuring, "I picked these for you. Perhaps you can put them in a vase in your home?"

I know that Vector typically would care less about decorating his messy apartment room, but flowers from Miss Vanilla are not a usual thing. Looking flattered, Vector reaches out and takes the bouquet from Vanilla before reaching out and tucking one of the flowers behind her ear, murmuring in a husky voice, "Thank you very much, ma'am. I'll put 'em in a vase on my nightstand and think of yeh every time I look at 'em!"

Vanilla beams and replies, "I'm very glad that you like them."

There's a pause during which I can practically see the wheels in Vector's head spinning around in circles. Looking up at Vanilla, he asks, "How would ya like to go to the beach with me on Saturday?"

"I would love that, Vector," Vanilla replies in her calm voice although I can tell from the sparkle in her eyes that she's excited for the date. "The beach is one of my favorite places to go! I suppose that I'd better go collect Cream. I will see you at the beach on Saturday! Goodbye, you two."

"Bye, Miss Vanilla!" Vector replies, waving vehemently at Vanilla as she takes a step backward. "Thanks again fer the flowers!"

As I glance between Vector and Vanilla, I suddenly realize how idiotic it was of me to think that Vector may have been flirting with me earlier. Of course he wasn't. Vector is in love with Vanilla, a beautiful female rabbit. It was silly of me to even consider the possibility that Vector might see something in a worthless, scarred chameleon.

"She sure is somethin', isn't she?" Vector asks me as Vanilla disappears from view.

"Vanilla seems very nice, yes," I reply, not sure whether to be relieved or not about realizing that Vector had not been making any moves on me earlier. He's just the touchy-feely type. Some people are like that by nature. I need to stop overreacting to every little thing.

Luckily, Charmy saves me from having to hear more about Vanilla. He flies up to us slowly, eyes droopy. Not bothering to conceal a yawn, he tells us, "I'm tired."

"I can see that, Charmy," I reply with an amused smile. "Perhaps it's time for us to start packing up."

I force myself to my feet and start meticulously folding up the picnic blanket. Vector stares off into the distance, being extremely unhelpful as he daydreams. Charmy is also too tired to give me a hand and so I clean up the entire area by myself. I don't complain, but once everything is packed, I hold the woven basket out for Vector to carry. Vector takes it without comment and the three of us start back to my home.

By the time that we reach the cozy little house, it's dark outside and all three of us are tired. I slowly take out my key from inside of my glove and unlock the door. The three of us spill inside of my home. I take the basket back to Vector and start to the kitchen, explaining, "I'll go put these things away now."

Vector and Charmy drop into chairs surrounding the kitchen table. I roll my eyes at them and enter the kitchen. To my surprise, a frozen pizza box is sitting out on the counter. Frowning, I open up the box and note that the pizza is certainly not frozen at this point Wondering how the pizza got from the freezer to the counter, I return to the kitchen table and ask my two fatigued teammates, "Do either of you know anything about the pizza box sitting out on the counter?"

Vector gives me a blank look before he suddenly looks guilty and admits, "Er...yeah. I put it there. I thought that we might get home late from the park and need somethin' ta eat."

I'll admit that I'm just a bit hungry, but I'd be surprised if Vector and Charmy are hungry again after their large meal from earlier. Raising an eyebrow at them, I ask, "Do you want to eat now?"

"Sure!" Vector nods immediately before turning to the little bee and asking, "What do you think, Charm?"

"There's always room for pizza!" Charmy echoes Vector, no longer looking so tired.

"Alright then," I sigh, shaking my head incredulously. "I'll go get us some pizza."

I return to the kitchen and whip out some plates and napkins as quickly as I can. Even though the pizza is no longer frozen, it appears slightly soggy. I put a few slices on three plates and take turns heating them up in the microwave. Afterward, I fill three glasses with water since there is no way that I'm letting Charmy have soda after all of the treats that he devoured earlier, no thanks to Vector's encouragement. Pizza, napkins, and glasses in my arms, I return to the table.

"Thanks, Esp," Vector says as he takes his plate of pizza from my outstretched hand and immediately starts gobbling his slices down.

I perch on a chair between Charmy and Vector and eat my pizza slowly. The three of us aren't very talkative tonight due to the fact that it's been a long day and we're all rather tired. Suddenly, completely out of the blue, Vector looks over and asks me, "Do ya still wear makeup, Esp?"

I practically choke on my water and ask in shock, "What?"

Charmy, who's been half-asleep during this whole conversation, suddenly perks up. I have no idea what Vector is talking about, but I'm getting a very bad feeling about this. Vector blinks at me and adds reasonably, "It's nothin' to be ashamed off. I just happened to see ya wearin' makeup in a picture and so-"

"Espio was wearing _makeup_?!" Charmy cuts in, eyes as wide as saucers.

Suddenly, everything falls into place. There's only one picture of me wearing makeup. It's a photograph that I keep hidden in my drawer away from prying eyes. Embarrassment and anger ripples through my body. Sending Vector a deadly glare, I state in a dangerous voice, "You went through all of my drawers, didn't you?"

"I...uh..." Vector stammers, not at all a good liar.

"Why were you wearing makeup?" Charmy asks, still staring at me as if I'm from another planet.

I glance between the crocodile and the bee and really just can't take this anymore. Trying to keep my cool, I stand up abruptly from the table and state, "I will be right back."

Before anyone can stop me, I slip out of the room and into my bedroom. I close the door firmly behind myself and go straight to my drawer. I take the old photograph out of it and retreat to my bed. Leaning up against the pillow, I glance at the picture, old memories flooding through my head. The bedroom disappears and I'm suddenly somewhere very different.

_ I'm lying on the bed as usual, but this time I'm asleep when I feel something caress my eyelids. After a long night of brutal fucking, my limbs are as useful as jelly and pain spasms throughout my entire body. However, I manage to open my eyes just a crack to see what Bryce is doing to me. To my surprise, he has a set of fake eyelashes and a container of eyeshadow next to him. It appears as if he's in the process of putting these awful things on me._

_ Annoyed, I immediately try to turn away and inch my beaten body away from the black chameleon. A tight hand grabs my throat and smashes me back down against the bed. I'm forced to stare up at Bryce through a veil of red as he chokes me, muttering, "I treat you pretty damn well, Espio. Can't you just cooperate with me for once?"_

_ I can't breathe. Bryce's face is starting to swim in and out of focus. Strangely enough, I find that I do not fear death. In fact, I welcome it with open arms. If Bryce suffocates me here and now, I will never have to put up with his abuse ever again. I close my eyes and wait for the eternal peace that I desire so much._

_ ...It doesn't come. Instead, Bryce releases my throat at the last moment and asks, "Are you going to behave now, slave?"_

_I don't answer, but don't make any more moves to resist my cousin as he finishes decorating me just the way he wants to. When he's done, Bryce steps back from the bed and looks at my broken body lying limply on the bed. It's been weeks since he first started abusing me. I can't take much more of this._

_ "Nice," Bryce smirks, grabbing my arm roughly and pulling me off of the bed and onto the floor. "Just the effect that I was looking for."_

_As soon as I'm on the floor, my knees give way and I fall to the ground. My cheeks flush at how weak my body is and I try to get back up to my feet. Bryce's rough hands shove my shoulders back down and he grabs my head, pulling it toward his crotch as he murmurs maliciously, "No, just stay down there and put yourself to use."_

_ My pulse quickens as I suddenly realize what Bryce wants me to do. Gazing up at him with wide, eyes, I stammer in a croaking voice, "You...you can't really mean this..."_

_Bryce has done unthinkable things to me, but he's never forced me to do anything this degrading before. Unfortunately, I soon find out that he is being serious._

_ "'Course I'm serious. What do you think? That I'm joking with you?" Bryce asks, grabbing the horn on my head, which is surprisingly sensitive, and forcing my head back down as he replies, "Just be grateful that I haven't invited my gang over and let them take turns with you yet. Now be a good little whore, Espio. That's all you are - my pretty little slut. Now suck it."_

_ I have no choice. I'm too weak to fight, too emotionally beat to resist. Taking a shuddering breath, I lean forward and part my lips..._

Creak! The door to my bedroom opens, sending the vivid memory flying out of my head. I find myself on my very own bed again, staring at the picture in my lap. I know without having to look that it's Vector in the doorway. Heavy footsteps sound from behind me.

Suddenly, a comforting hand is placed on my shoulder and Vector says hesitantly, "Look, Esp, I know that yer hidin' something. Yeh probably think I'm just a nosy 'ol croc by now, but that ain't true. I care fer ya and I gotta know what's going on. Please tell me. I'm here ta listen."

* * *

_Do you think that Espio will tell Vector what happened to him in the next chapter? Review please! :)  
_


	30. Chapter XXX

**Regular sonic fan: Haha, I know, right? I don't think that Vector could have been any more blunt or random! xD He really does just blurt things out, doesn't he? And I'm with you there; Espio needs to just tell the truth already. You're right about not giving up hope. I've gotta hope until the very end. Thank you for the encouragment. And aw, I'm so glad that you have a friend like her. You're really lucky! Thanks for reading!  
**

**Savvy0417: I'm so glad to hear that you think that the story is getting interesting! Encouraging reviews always make my day! :D**

**TheMidnightShadow: Ah, that makes sense about your dad then. Are you really close to your mom then or...? I never used to be close to my parents, but after I turned eighteen, everything changed around here. **

**andypandy123: It's really a shame how expensive everything is these days, isn't it? I feel like everything is just so pricy, plane tickets included! Sometimes it's just really nice to have the comfort of home, especially when you're dealing with hard things or when you're sick. Wow, it sounds like your parents push you a lot. My mom encourages me to nap and get rest at this point. Oopsy, I didn't mean to make your head explode! *hides under my desk* I'm glad that you have a good feeling about your A Levels this year! So I take it that you're enjoying school so far?  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: I'm with you there! Espio should just tell the truth and not make up rumors about his female cousin. Thanks so much for commenting on this!**

**Toni the Mink: Haha, you're totally right about Vector being a dope. I mean, really, way to just give himself away to Espio, you know? *shakes head at him* I'm glad that the Bryce scenes make you feel so strongly. That's a good thing, right? Thanks so much for the comment!  
**

**Spiiiii: It's totally okay about accidentally posting my reply. I figured that you just did that on accident. I've done that before too. xD Espy will tell Vector the truth soon at least! Maybe he'll find the courage to flirt back later! I know what you mean about how class could've gone better. I feel awkward in any sort of social situation as awful as that sounds. Ooo, at least someone noticed your Sonic shirt though! Do you think that you'll become friends with that guy? Okay, I'll try not to spoil the rest of the story. *seals mouth shut* Hehe, well, at least you don't have to go in for another few days, right? Hope you like this chapter!  
**

**FullyEroded: I'm glad that it helps you knowing that someone cares! I feel the same way, so I guess that it's a mutual feeling. I'm so sorry about the bruises! But you know what I've learned? Appearances aren't what matter - it's all personality. You have a wonderful, kind, and caring personality and that's what really matters. :) And believe me, I'm a pessimist too, so I completely understand. Thank you for the kind words!  
**

**Guest: Aw, thank you so much for saying that my story needs more attention! That really means a lot to me, especially since you're not typically a fan of slash pairings. I take it that you like the Chaotix though? Thanks for the review!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: Okay, I'll see if I can send some tomorrow then. :) I'm not sure why things like that happen. I wish that I could get you a kitty. There's nothing cuter than a little kitten, you know?  
**

**Forwardcat101: Thanks for posting a review! I always love to hear what my readers think about my story! Are you a fan of the Chaotix, I take it?  
**

**Stormyx: D'awww, I'm one of the nicest people that you know? You're one of the nicest people that I know as well! *gives you more cyber hugs* Fanfiction has really helped me in life. I really don't know what I would've done without it and that's not an exaggeration! Writing makes me feel like I have some sort of purpose even if my writing isn't that great and I love meeting people on here. :) Oh god, that sounds horrible about the staff that worked with the eating disorder girls. Plunging someone headfirst into their greatest fear is the worst way to recover from it, don't you think? Hehe, well, take your time with the MU story. I'd say that the chapters are the same length as the ones in this story, yeah. Yup, that's Scourge's catchphrase! I think that I must have a Scourge obsession right now because all of my new story ideas seem to center on him. Would you say that you're a Big and Shadow fangirl then? I usually do write tragedies to be quite honest, but I think that happy endings can be nice on the rare occasion. :P I'm so sorry that your day today didn't go as well! I've got my fingers crossed for you for tomorrow. And hey, happy early birthday! Are you looking forward to it? Thanks for reading!  
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**bearvalley3365: That's so true! Espio will continue to feel guilty if he doesn't tell Vector the truth. Good prediction! I hope that you like this chapter. :3  
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**Ersiffa Narman: Hey there! Today has been so-so for me, I guess. I'm having a hard time maintaining my current weight, but I'm just sort of finding peace at this point. So you're halfway through the Circle of Life? That's awesome! :D How did today go for you?  
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**ven braken: Haha, I update really fast, don't I? That's an interesting thought on Charmy. I agree that Vector would get mad! Thank you for catching up on this!  
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**Mysterious: It's totally okay that you forgot! I have the worst memory ever, believe me! I go into a room and forget why I even went in there. xD Thanks for liking the chapter!  
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**zgirl16: I figured that you might have been busy again. :P Did you start school already, I'm guessing? And thanks for the hug! I'm trying not to be as scared now. Whatever happens is God's plan for my life, I think.**

* * *

**Chapter XXX  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

I hesitate when I feel Vector's hand on my shoulder and hear his pleading words in my ear. It seems so odd that I might share my deepest secret with an abrasive, four-hundred-pound crocodile out of everyone in this world, but it appears as if this is exactly what I'm about to do. Taking a deep breath, I look over at Vector and raise my eyes to his. There's nothing but concern for me in Vector's stare. No traces of malice, ulterior motives, or pushiness can be seen there. Vector cares. He wants to know what happened to me because it hurts him to see me going through this sort of pain.

"Alright," I sigh, finally giving into Vector after holding back for weeks. I motion to the empty space on the bed next to me and offer, "You may sit down if you like."

I can feel the mattress shift as it lets out a protesting groan at Vector's weight. The bed springs let out several more annoyed squeaks as Vector settles himself down next to me and says, "Now tell me before ya reconsider, Esp! I've been tryin' to get ya to tell me about this fer weeks and all I've been gettin' are hard looks from yeh."

My eyes flick from Vector's face back down to the photograph in my hand. I can't bear to look at Vector while I get this out. Offering the photograph to Vector, I explain, "The black chameleon there isn't my brother. He's my cousin, Bryce. He moved in with my mother, my grandmother, and myself when my aunt died last year."

"Uh...sorry 'bout that?" Vector replies questioningly, not knowing enough about Bryce yet to realize that him moving in with my family changed my life.

A hint of a wry smile crosses my lips as Vector tries to say the right thing. I don't comment on his statement and go on to explain, "Bryce is my opposite. He's hard, tough, and knows exactly how to get what he wants. Instead of using his strength to make the world a better place, he joined a gang, started doing drugs, and got drunk pretty much every night."

"Geez, Esp, that must have been really hard tryin' to live with someone like that," Vector murmurs apologetically. "Did he try to suck yeh into his gang?"

"No. He would never have allowed that. You see, I wasn't his equal. He viewed me as someone inferior him," I admit, taking a deep breath as I prepare to let Vector know the worst of my past. All in a rush, I add, "When Bryce came home angry and drunk at night, I was the one that he would turn to. Whenever he needed a punching bag, I always seemed to be nearby. When Bryce had too much time on his hands, he would come up with more ways to...abuse me."

"Say..._what_?" Vector exclaims, his vermilion eyes flying open wide as he registers what I've just said. Jamming a finger dubiously at the figure of the smirking black chameleon in the photo, Vector goes on, "Yeh mean to tell me that this son of a bitch is the reason why yer black and blue in this photo? He's the goddamn reason for why you've got all of those scars on yer body?"

I flinch. The way that Vector says it makes it sound worse than it really is for some reason. Already regretting telling him about this, I wrap my arms around myself almost protectively and reply succinctly, "Yes, but Vector? Listen to me. I'm not weak. I can fight and I will fight for freedom and against every evil thing in this world. Just because my cousin got the better of me when I was younger does not mean that I'm incapable of anything. All that happened is in the past. I'm stronger now. Don't think of me any differently than you did before I told you all of this."

Vector gives me a confused look before he asks incredulously, "Wait, ya mean to say that yer worried that I'm gonna think less of yeh because yer bastard of a cousin beat you up?"

I hang my head in shame and twist my hands around in my lap, my silence the answer to Vector's question.

"You really dunno me at all, do ya?" Vector asks me almost sadly. He places a gently hand on my lower arm and says firmly, "It is not yer fault that yeh got beaten up! Yer cousin had no right to do any of that crap to yeh. Ya know what? I'm gonna go give him a taste of his own medicine!"

Face determined and eyes blazing, Vector gets up from the bed abruptly and starts marching toward the door as if he's going to go out and search every street in town until he finds Bryce. Terror seizes at my heart and I leap nimbly off of the bed before using my ninja quick reflexes to fly in front of Vector. I turn around to face him and block the doorway before seizing his wrist and pleading, "Vector, no! You can't go looking for Bryce. You don't understand...the things that he did to me..."

I trail off, shuddering slightly as unwanted memories form graphic images in my head. There's me being pummeled into oblivion in the corner of the old bedroom, there's Bryce slamming my head between his thighs, and there's me chained up and trying my best to keep my cries to myself as Bryce touches me in unthinkable places and photographs me during the whole ordeal for his own sadistic pleasure. If Vector finds Bryce, all hell will break loose for me. I don't doubt that my sick cousin isn't looking for me. The spirits of this world have protected me so far. To be quite honest, it's a miracle that I haven't run into him yet. Perhaps my luck is finally turning.

Vector comes to a halt and looks at me in confusion, adding, "Don't ya want me to give the bastard what he deserves?"

"Yes, but you beating Bryce up is not going to help either of us! The only thing that will help is if my cousin is put behind prison bars. That's the only way that I'll ever feel safe. Otherwise, things such as you threatening him or beating him up will only make things worse. If Bryce realizes that I still live around here, he will come searching for me," I reply, no doubt about this in my mind.

"Whaddya mean by that? How'd yeh get away from him?" Vector asks, still trying to put the pieces of my life story into a complete puzzle.

"I ran away," I say defiantly, trying to pull myself up to my very small height. "If I hadn't, he would have killed me, Vector. I'm not being dramatic. It's the truth. I couldn't have lived there for much longer."

"I believe ya, Esp. I believe yer every word. Yeh don't have to doubt me," Vector replies to me firmly. He looks like he's trying to think hard about something before he finally asks, "Are ya sure that yeh don't want me to find yer cousin? Maybe I could frame him with somethin' that could lead to him bein' locked up. He sounds like a troublemaker doin' drugs and gettin' drunk all of the time."

"No, please don't," I reply, my eyes on the floor again. "I...I just want to forget. I don't want to think about him anymore."

"Then don't," Vector supports me immediately. "Don't think about him. He's just a filthy criminal who doesn't deserve to know someone like you."

"Thank you," I say, feeling a bit better to hear Vector's reassuring words.

"Well, it's the truth! Nothin' but the goddamn truth," Vector repeats for emphasis, still looking as if he'd really like to go out and pick a fight with Bryce. Suddenly, his expression changes and he reaches down, tilting my chin up so that I'm forced to meet his eyes. In a gentler voice, he goes on, "It musta been hard fer yeh to go through all of that and never tell a soul. I feel sick just thinkin' of what yeh must've gone through. The past is the past though and you've got a bright future, Esp. Is there anything that I can do fer ya? Anything at all?"

"No, but thank you for listening," I reply, seeing as I stare into Vector's eyes that my status hasn't decreased to him since I told him my secret. "Thank you also for not thinking any less of me."

Vector gives me a long look and mutters, "I think that yer bastard cousin must've screwed with yer head because that's crazy thinkin'. Why the hell would I think less of yeh because you've been hurt?"

I shrug my shoulders and shift uncomfortably from foot to foot. Bryce has pounded a lot of ideas both mentally and physically into me during our time together.

"Well, that's stupid thinking! I'll never think any less of yeh. I promise!" Vector tells me forcefully, dropping his finger from underneath my chin as he adds, "I'm gonna guess that I'm the first person that yeh told about this, huh?"

"Yes," I nod simply, staring past Vector's shoulder and out the window without really seeing anything there. A thought quickly occurs to me and I tighten my grip on Vector's wrist, suddenly imploring him, "It has to stay that way though! Nobody else can know. Not Vanilla, not any of your friends that I don't know, and especially not Charmy. He's so young and innocent."

"I get it now. Yer so protective of the kid because of what happened to ya, right?" Vector asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

"I suppose so," I reply with a shrug before pressing, "Vector, promise me that you won't tell anyone. It's extremely important."

"Nah, I won't tell anyone," Vector reassures me although he still looks upset. Making a random gesture in the air with his free hand, Vector suggests, "But don't ya think that yeh should go somewhere to get help for this? I dunno...like maybe yeh should see a counselor?"

I give Vector an appalled glance. Telling him not even the whole truth about my past was hard enough. I can't even possibly imagine trying to tell a complete stranger about what happened to me. Feeling a shiver run down my spine at the thought, I shake my head fervently and reply, "No."

"But ya feel better now that yeh told me about it, right?" Vector pushes.

"Yes, but that's only because it was _you_. I don't know why and perhaps it's foolish of me, but I really do trust you, Vector. You and Charmy mean so much to me. I think that you're the only one who might listen to me, understand, and not judge me," I point out, trying to regain my even voice despite the fact that I'm talking about a very emotional subject.

"Aw, Esp..." Vector trails off, sending me a fond smile. "Yer never gonna have to face any of this crap alone ever again. I'm gonna be here for yeh. Always."

"Vector, I..." I reach up toward his face with one hand without knowing what I'm going to say or knowing where my hand is going. Suddenly, I realize what I'm about to do and hesitate. My hand hesitates in midair and my voice trails off. Luckily, a childish voice interrupts the awkward situation.

"Vector? Espio? Are you two fighting?" Charmy asks apprehensively before the door to the bedroom is pushed open with a low creak. Charmy's little face peeps warily around the doorway, but soon relaxes when he sees Vector and me. "Oh, I guess that you two aren't fighting. That's good. Espio, I'm really tired. I think that I'm going to go to bed."

"That's a good idea," I reply, a bit surprised. I never thought that I'd see a day where Charmy would actually take the initiative of dragging himself off to bed. He's usually all for playing his video games until the early hours of the morning.

Vector and I both give Charmy a hug and wish him goodnight. The little bee gives us a sleepy smile and then flies out of the doorway, not bothering to conceal a yawn on the way out. Yawns really must be contagious because before I know it, Vector and I are both yawning as well. Feeling a little embarrassed, I cover my mouth daintily and quickly drop my awkwardly extended hand back to my side.

"Well, I guess that now's probably a good time fer me to be goin' back to my apartment," Vector states, taking a heavy step toward the doorway of the bedroom.

For some reason, I find that I actually don't want Vector to leave. Once Charmy goes to bed, the house always feels so quiet and empty. I follow Vector out of the bedroom door, trying to come up with a reason for him to stay a bit longer. Unfortunately, no good reasons come to my mind. Finally, I settle with saying, "You don't have to leave already unless you want to."

"It's alright. I don't wanna impose or anythin'," Vector says as he tramps to the doorway in three long strides. I find that I don't even pay attention to whether or not he's tracking dirt through the house anymore. Giving me a toothy grin, Vector adds, "Besides, I gotta get prepared fer my date with Miss Vanilla!"

"Oh, of course," I reply, not feeling very excited about Vector's date for some reason. As Vector opens the door, I give him a true smile and murmur, "Thank you for going to the park with Charmy and me today. It's very nice for Charmy to have some company. He likes you quite a bit."

"Yeah, I'm sure that Charmy does," Vector replies before he raises an eyebrow at me and asks, "And what about _you_, Esp? Do yeh like me?"

"Why, yes. Of course I like you, Vector. You've been a very good friend to me," I reply, trying not to wonder if there's a deeper undertone to Vector's seemingly innocent question.

"Glad ya think so. Anyway, I'm off! Take care of yerself and remember that you will always have a friend in Charmy and in me. If yeh ever need anything, just give me a call," Vector says before waving to me and closing the door with a loud bang behind him.

I stare at the closed door and immediately feel lonely. If only Vector could have stayed a bit longer. It's strange because I used to like spending all of my time alone. Perhaps that was just a result of the depression though. After all, chameleons are naturally very social creatures.

I go to bed feeling strangely warm and tingly inside. Vector's comforting words seem to echo around in my head as I tuck myself between the sheets and close my eyes. Even though I don't want Vector going after Bryce, it makes me feel better to know that Vector would have been willing to try and get my sadist of a cousin put away. The more time that I spend with Vector, the more that I like him. There's so much more to him than just his outer appearance of a large, clumsy crocodile. He really does have a heart of gold.

* * *

_Hm, do you think that Espio's and Vector's bond will get closer now that Espio has partially shared his secret with Vector? Review please! :) Also, I'm bored and am thinking about future Sonic fics, so if you wanna let me know your favorite Sonic pairings, I might consider writing them.  
_


	31. Chapter XXXI

**Regular sonic fan: I'm so glad that you thought that the last chapter was so cute! I also think that Vector and Espio's bond will get stronger in time. *nods* Hehe, yeah, Vector is just the kind of guy who randomly blurts stuff out, isn't he? xD What a crazy croc! Thanks again, I'm just going to keep hoping and praying and enjoy every moment that I have. You're never annoying! You're such a good friend! And omg, those are like my favorite pairings too, especially Knouge, Sonjet, and Vecpio!  
**

**Savvy0417: Yeah, you're definitely right about the cat being let out of the bag. *nods* Thanks for reading this!  
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**TheMidnightShadow: Oh god, well, you don't have to thank me! I'm always happy to listen. :) The internet used to be my way to sort out my problems as well. If there's ever anything that you want to talk about, just let me know, okay?  
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**andypandy123: That's really unfortunate about the New York trip! I've never been there before, but I've always wanted to go there. Have you been anywhere in the US before? I forgot if I've asked you that or not. Same thoughts here about home and about friends and family. It's just so nice to know that there are people who care about you regardless of how things turn out, you know? I'm sorry about your mother. I didn't feel close to mine until recently, so maybe you two will become closer when you're older? I'm glad about your good feeling about A Levels, but aw, that's gotta be so disappointing! I wish that you could go!  
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**Saints-Fan-12: They could definitely start dating! *nods* And yeah, I know what you mean about pairings with evidence. I'm definitely open to writing Knouge! Thanks for reading!  
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**Spiiiii: Hehe, I think that the last chapter shows that they're getting closer too. I mean, that was a big step on Espio's part, don't you think? He'll come around and tell Vector the whole thing in time, hopefully. Oh, I see what you're saying about that guy. Dunno about you, but I never fit in with the popular kids even if I try to! Are you the same way? And yay, at least you have two days off. Do you have any plans for the weekend? Good idea about the Scourgy fic! I'm thinking about making Scourge a pimp in it and pairing Rosy with Manic later. Does that sound too weird...?  
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**FullyEroded: You're very welcome about the comment regarding personality. It's something that I've always believed and becoming a Christian makes me feel more strongly about it. So you like Anti-Tails and Fiona? I'm not taking requests right this second, but I might write something with them in the future. It might be hard for me though because I'm such a hardcore Scouriana shipper, you know? xD  
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**Guest: No problem about not reviewing the previous chapter! I'm really glad to hear how much you liked the last one. It means a lot to me to hear how much you liked it. So you thought that it was even better than the original? :D Hm, I don't think that you ever told me that you liked SonicxKnuckles before! That's a pairing that certainly has potential. Thanks for reading!  
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**Villains' Bad Girl: Oh wow, but that's pretty old for a cat, isn't it? I don't think that many make it past ten years. KnucklesxRouge, huh? ;) Well, I do like that pairing, so I'll definitely consider writing some Knouge! **

**Stormyx: Aw, you're so welcome! *hugs you again* I'm so happy that we met on here! You're an awesome friend! I dunno about you, but sometimes I find that my online friends are way better than real life friends. Do you ever feel that way? Thanks for the compliment about my writing! I typically prefer reading fanfiction than books as well. I only like a few select books. Same thoughts here about eating disorders! I'm sure that you'd do a better job helping someone recover from them than those nuts at the eating disorder clinics and hospitals. No wonder anorexics relapse so frequently, you know? I did write about Scourge and Fiona in this story! They both make a later appearance in it. xD And omg, spamming the Sonic section with Scourge stories! That definitely sounds like something that I would do. Hehe, I didn't think that you're one of those obsessed fangirls. Do you know someone more obsessed with Scourge than me? If so, then wow! I'm, um, kind of possessive of him, haha. I like tragedies because they seem more realistic than other stories if that makes sense? I don't like fairy tale endings usually. You're very welcome for the birthday wishes! Is there anything that you're hoping to get for your birthday? The swiss army knife does seem really random! And nooo, don't say that you're old. You make me sound like an old lady then! Thanks for reading. :)  
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**bearvalley3365: Hm, so you think that Espio and Vector like each other as brothers and not as lovers? It seems to me that Vector really seems to be attracted to Espio. Thanks for commenting on this!  
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**Ersiffa Narman: Hi! Yeah, omg, I've been so tired today! It's been so hard for me to drag myself out of bed and whatnot. Do you ever feel like that? I got some stomach medicine from the doctor though, so maybe that will help? *crosses fingers* Singing the Star Spangled Banner sounds like fun! :D Do you enjoy singing?  
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**ven braken: That's a good thought about whether or not Espio tells more. *nods* I'm really not a fan of Big, but I would consider doing other character pairings. Sorry! *hides under my desk*  
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**Mysterious: I've definitely had plenty of those moments before! xD I think that we all have some of those! And aw, no need to be shy at all around me! *hugs you* It's a great feeling to make your parents proud, isn't it? Thanks for liking the chapter!  
**

**zgirl16: I'd say that you're right to think that their bond will grow stronger! I'm so glad to hear that you love this story. Really, that just means so much to me to hear that! Aw man, I'm sorry that school has started for you. Is it going well for you, I hope? And those are my favorite pairings as well! I love Vecpio, Shadmaria, Shadamy, and Mephadow! *high fives you***

* * *

**Chapter XXXI  
**

_~ Vector's POV ~  
_

I leave Espio's house and step out onto the streets. The night has already fallen and I'm forced to squint to see where I'm goin'. As I stride along with my music pounding in my ears, I think about what Espio told me earlier. You know, the bit about his cousin, Bryce. I tried not to get too worked up over it in front of Espio, but deep inside, I was fuming. Even now, all I really wanna do is hunt that son of a bitch down and make him pay fer what he did to my buddy. Espio has a tendency to downplay things. I bet that Bryce treated him even worse than what Espio told described to me.

A sharp October chill runs down my spine and sends dampness straight through me like a knife. My sharp teeth grit together as I glance around murderously as if I'm willin' a dark chameleon with bright red eyes to appear out of nowhere so that I can take out my aggression on him. Unfortunately fer me, no such chameleon appears.

I really should have guessed that Espio had been abused in his past, but I guess that I was being too thick-headed to have thought up the possibility on my own earlier. It just seemed so unlikely that anyone could break through the tough little ninja-like creature's wall and actually cause any real damage to him. When I first met Espio, I thought of him as an impenetrable, icy cold chameleon. He kept every single damn emotion locked behind his amber eyes and never let me know what he was really thinkin'.

Now, Espio isn't like that. I've broken through his wall with my irresistible crocodile charm - yup, it was definitely charm that did it - and I finally know the real Espio. He's still a little thing of extraordinary strength and conviction, but he's not so cold and bitter. There's a sadness within him that's been eatin' him up from the inside out. I can see that and I plan to make that sadness disappear completely in time. Just like how I broke through his first barrier, I plan to dissolve Espio's memories of the past and make him realize what a beautiful thing life is.

'Course, if I happen to run into an evil black chameleon in the meantime, I definitely won't be complaining. Espio asked me not to go lookin' fer his cousin, so I won't. However, if I do just so happen to see Bryce somewhere around town, he's as good as dead. I can tell what kind of bastard he is just from the sadistic smirk and wicked gleam in his eye from that photograph that Espio has. Bryce is the kind of guy who would've laughed at Espio's pain, worsened his embarrassment, and made him feel like a piece of crap once he was done abusing him.

I've never seen abuse close up. Although my croc parents were never supportive of me or my goals in life, they were never abusive. They never hurt me and I would never have expected them to. They were decent folk for the most part. After comparing my upbringing to Espio's, I'm startin' to feel pretty darn grateful though.

I stomp along on the street, unrelinquished anger at Bryce still built up somewhere inside of me. I really wanna smack someone or pummel 'em to the ground. It's probably a good thing that I'm the only one tromping down the sidewalk at this time of day. I've taken it upon myself to protect Espio no matter what it takes. It makes me sick to know that someone took advantage of the small, vulnerable chameleon. Tough as he might appear, Esp's a fragile thing. He's not strong and it's obvious that he would lose in a fight against his bigger, more powerful cousin.

Why have I taken on the role of Espio's protector? Well, the reason is clear to me now. I hate the reason with all of my being, but I can't deny the truth. That would be stupid. To get to the point, I goddamn love Espio. I'm gonna go to hell for it, but I can't control my emotions.

I dunno why I've fallen in love with Espio. When we first met, I never would have guessed that I would form feelings fer him after a while. I guess that I love Esp cuz he's everything that I'm not. While I'm careless, outgoing, and powerful, Espio is intelligent, secretive, and shy. He doesn't warm up to people easily. I feel proud of myself fer bein' the only one besides for Charmy to break through his walls.

I gotta admit that I like Esp more than just for his personality though. I'd be lying if I said that I don't find the sexy little chameleon attractive. I can't help but stare at the slight sway of his hips when he walks by my side, I can't stop myself from watching the bob of his tail in the air, and I really just can't tear my eyes away from the way his fuchsia scales gleam in the sunlight. That's where I'm gonna have to draw the line though. I can't allow myself to start imaginin' ever having a relationship with Espio. It ain't gonna happen so I'm not gonna think about it.

I kick the door to the apartment lobby open and stalk inside. There's nobody around. I turn up my music as I enter the elevator to try and distract myself from Espio, but it doesn't do me any good. For just a moment, I allow my mind into dangerous zones and start wonderin' if Espio might ever see somethin' in a guy like me.

...Nah, of course he wouldn't. I feel complete when I'm around Espio, but I'm sure that he doesn't feel that same way. Although, now that I think about it, there was that moment earlier after Espio confessed his past to me that was kinda awkward. He just sort of lifted his hand toward me as if he was gonna touch my cheek or somethin', but then Charmy had to interrupt us. Argh.

The elevator comes to a halt at my level and I shove the thought to the back of my mind. Now annoyed with myself for not havin' any self control, I smash the door to my room open and kick it shut as hard as I can before kicking off my shoes and falling face first onto my bed. It's been a long day and I need sleep.

It doesn't take me long to drift off to la la land. Luckily, my sleep is dreamless fer now. Little do I know that I'm gonna start having dreams soon...dreams that any decent person really shouldn't be having. But for now, I'm able to sleep peacefully and by the time that morning comes, I'm well rested.

Sittin' up in bed, I let out an unrestrained yawn and blink around myself sleepily. It's Friday. I guess that Friday's are good. I don't really have anything planned for today. Tomorrow, I've got that date that I set up with Miss Vanilla, but today I can just lounge around my room and burn up time.

I decide to be lazy and just stay in bed for a while. I'm hopin' that by going on the date with Miss Vanilla tomorrow, I'll be able to actually fall in love with her. It's not that I don't like her right now; 'course I do! It's just that...well...I like Esp more. As soon as I met him, all of my feelings started getting all mixed up. I kept likin' Vanilla less and less and Espio more and more. It's time to put a stop to this and reverse the pattern. Fallin' in love with yer best buddy just ain't right. The sooner that I can rid myself of these unwanted feelings, the better.

I allow myself to sit in bed for a few more minutes before my growling stomach forces me to get up. I cross the room with dragging feet and open the fridge. Hm, nothin' good in there. I try the closet and grab five power bars. They don't taste too good, but they should give me some energy for the day.

Plopping down on my chair behind my messy desk, I unwrap a power bar and chomp into it. My eyes fall on the phone. Er...why do I suddenly feel the need to call Espio?

_ Dammit, Vector_, I shout at myself. _Are yeh really gonna allow yerself to act like a fool? Leave Esp alone already!_

Nodding resolutely to myself, I put my hand down and follow my own advice. Espio doesn't want a nosy croc callin' him twenty-four seven. I saw him only last night. He needs some space. If I start callin' him all of the time, he'll start getting creeped out.

I spend most of the day completely bored. With nothin' better to do, I sit at my desk and stare at the phone, hoping that someone will call me and say that they need Team Chaotix's expertise on something. Sadly, no one calls. My phone doesn't ring once during the whole day.

By the time night comes around, I'm feelin' frustrated. The unproductive day hasn't helped my mood out much. All I've done is sit by the phone and wonder what Espio and Charmy are up to. We really should get an office of some sort so that we can all work together in the same place. Uh, yeah, there are benefits to that idea other than the fact that I'll get to see Espio more. Benefits like...uh...I'll get back to answerin' that question later.

Glad to get this day over with and start a new one tomorrow, I flop into bed and fall asleep quickly. Tomorrow is my date with Miss Vanilla and I've gotta look my best. Women probably don't find it too attractive when their men have large bags under their eyes from lack of sleep.

Morning comes quickly and I wake to a gloomy day. Not a crack of sun is shinin' down from the sky. The clouds are thick and gray. It sure looks like rain. However, rain or no rain, I'm still goin' on my date with Miss Vanilla. I force myself to get out of the warm, cozy bed and go to the bathroom to take a shower.

After a scorching hot shower, my scales are sparklin' clean and I look real handsome if I do say so myself. Dumping my chain around my neck, I step out of the bathroom to the ringing of my phone. Huh. Wonder who that could be? Is Miss Vanilla cancelling our date because of the weather?

Figuring that I should probably hurry and answer the phone before it goes to the voice mail system since I haven't figured out how that works yet, I run clumsily across the floor. A damn soda can somehow ends up under my foot and I'm sent flying to the floor.

"Stupid crap lyin' around everywhere!" I mutter in annoyance as I feel spasms of pain jolt through my body.

Cringing, I force myself to get back onto my feet and stomp over to my desk. I fall into my chair and pick up the phone just in time. Grouchy from my fall, I say into the phone grumpily, "Whaddya want?"

There's a long pause from the other end and I start to think that nobody is there. Cussing under my breath, I make to hang up the phone when a familiar, even-toned voice says, "Good morning, Vector. This is Espio."

"Oh, Espio! I didn't realize that it was you," I reply quickly, feelin' a little embarrassed for my not-so-polite greeting.

"Charmy was wondering if you might like to come over and spend the afternoon with us," Espio tells me, not sounding upset by my lack of courtesy. "It's shaping up to be a rainy day outside. We thought that we could rent some movies. There's an adventure film that Charmy is dying to see."

I feel a painful jerk from somewhere within me. More than anything, I wanna go spend the afternoon with Espio and Charmy. I can't though. I already committed myself to Miss Vanilla and I'm not one to go back on my word. Maybe this is for the best though. After all, spending more time with Espio isn't gonna do me any good.

"Sorry, Esp, but I've got that date with Miss Vanilla today," I explain. "Remember? It's Saturday."

"Oh. Right," Espio replies, sounding a bit disappointed. "I suppose that it's just as well since I have to work at the cafe for a few hours anyway. I hope your date with Miss Vanilla goes well."

I bite my tongue wonderin' why Espio always has to act so polite. I open my mouth, about to go back on my word to Miss Vanilla. Screw everything; I just wanna spend time with that little chameleon no matter what it takes.

Espio is already speaking though and I don't have a chance to get any more words out as he says, "I suppose that I ought to prepare for work this afternoon. I haven't meditated yet today. Goodbye, Vector."

There's a click and then the phone goes dead. I stare at it in disappointment. I'm tempted to call Espio right back, but cancelling on Miss Vanilla this late would be rude, wouldn't it? Yeah, it would be. I gotta get a grip on myself!

Figuring that I might as well get going since it never hurts to be early for a date, I stuff my feet inside of my sneakers and start down the hallway. All of the hallways and elevators in the apartment are surprisingly empty. Guess it's because it's such a gloomy day outside. Nobody really wants to go out.

Once I'm outside, I find myself sending the clouds in the sky a wary look. They're gettin' even more gray. It's probably gonna rain soon. Hoping that the rain will hold off, I hurry to the beach and pace around it as I wait fer Miss Vanilla to show up. She doesn't keep me waitin' for too long.

Only a few minutes later, the beautiful cream colored rabbit with deep brown eyes appears at the edge of the beach. There's no denying that she's drop dead gorgeous, but she just isn't Espio. Geez, is Espio all that I can think about these days?

Remembering my manners, I rush to Miss Vanilla's side and kiss her hand affectionately as I greet her, "Hello, Miss Vanilla! How are ya?"

"Fine, thank you for asking," Miss Vanilla says courteously before she sends the sky a nervous glance and adds, "Unfortunately, it appears as if it's going to rain shortly though. Perhaps we should find a different place for our date?"

As if spurred on by her words, light droplets of rain start to fall from the sky. Frowning, I try to think of somewhere else to bring our date. The first place that pops into my head is the cafe that Espio works at. It's not too far away from here.

"D'ya want to go to a cafe? We could get somethin' warm to drink," I suggest to Miss Vanilla.

Miss Vanilla, who has her arms wrapped around herself as if she's afraid of meltin' in the rain, murmurs, "Anywhere inside sounds nice right now."

"Yeah. Uh...I could pick yeh up and carry ya to the cafe if yeh want. It would take a lot less time that way," I offer since Miss Vanilla is clearly hatin' it out here in the downpour.

"That would be very nice. Thank you, dear," Miss Vanilla replies thankfully.

"Alright. Hold on tight, ma'am!" I tell Miss Vanilla as I pick her up bridal style and race us to the cafe.

* * *

_How do you think that the cafe date in the next chapter will go? Review please! :)  
_


	32. Chapter XXXII

**Regular sonic fan: I feel bad for Vector too, so we're totally on the same page there! I agree that the date is not going to go well at all. A certain someone might get jealous. *hint hint* Thank you again for the good advice! *hugs you tightly* I've not been doing all that well to be honest. I keep losing weight at a constant rate, but I've become a Christian again and hope that God will take me to heaven whenever my time here is up, you know? Thanks for caring! Have you had a nice weekend, I hope? :)  
**

**TheMidnightShadow: You're so welcome! Like I said earlier, I'm always here to talk if you want to. I like helping if I can! This probably sounds funny, but all of my friends are online. xD  
**

**Fangirl-time: That's totally okay about not reviewing for a bit! I understand about being busy. I'm so glad to hear that you liked the chapters though. Is the amusement park chapter one of your favorites? :) And ooo, Knuckles! Who doesn't love him? What are your favorite Knuckles pairings? Thanks so much for reading this!**

**andypandy123: Aw, I feel worse and worse about your situation! It's really hard being the only one in a group who doesn't get to do something. I've been in that sort of predicament before, so I do understand. I'll cross my fingers that you can achieve your goals someday! Do you have other goals or things that you want to do other than going to New York? I used to be a goal setter, but now I'm just letting God take care of my future. He has a plan for me. I'm the same way with my family really. I only interact with my parents and my grandma. I hardly ever speak to my cousins since they live so far away.  
**

**Saints-Fan-12: That is such a good prediction. Espio will definitely be embarrassed. *nods* Thanks for reading!  
**

**Spiiiii: Aw, you remember this part? Memory, erase! xD Oh well, hopefully rereading it will still be worth it. It's kind of funny how Vector and Esp are unintentionally becoming closer if you know what I mean. :P Most of your friends become popular? For some reason, I just have a hard time making friends in general. It must be my personality or something. I understand about your sleep schedule. Mine is pretty wacky too. I get up and then go back to bed, lol. And aw, thanks for saying that you'd like to read it! *hugs you*  
**

**Guest: You're right about this being the chapter where that annoying hedgehog from Vector's apartment decides to make a reappearance! I'm glad that you're liking this rewrite and that Vector seems a bit more professional this time around. Maybe he really was meant to be a detective! And aw, it's fun talking to you too! :D I'm seeing more and more potential for SonicxKnuckles! I ship Sonic with a lot of characters, I'll admit that. How about you? Thanks for commenting!  
**

**Villains' Bad Girl: She definitely did hang in there, I agree! That is old for a cat. Cats don't usually live so long. You must've taken good care of her! And omg, good story idea! Rouge tackling Knuckles was one of my favorite Sonic X scenes! Was it one of yours too?  
**

**Stormyx: You're not alone there; I actually find that I have much more in common with people that I know online than people that I know in real life. I think there's a lot more opportunities to meet people online than in real life, you know? Plus, there's no first impressions, which is always nice. Same here; I really enjoy reading about characters that I recognize from films, games, or books. Do you read fanfics for lots of genres or...? I don't think that I'd want to become an engineer either. :P The sad thing is that I think that it's impossible for some people to overcome eating disorders. I'd like to think that God has a plan for those people though and that He just wants to bring them to heaven sooner than others. Yes, I'm Christian. Are you religious at all? Heh, I like being the biggest Scourge fangirl! You don't need to worry though. I'm not like to the fanatic point of being obsessed with him. xD Same thoughts here about tragedies. I just don't like perfect endings. A mix of tragedy and a happy ending is okay with me though. Aw, that's a shame that you have to wait until October for your birthday gifts! At least you got some cash though. Money is always nice. :) My birthday? It was pretty recent - July 2! Thanks so much for commenting!  
**

**bearvalley3365: I'm really glad to hear that you think that it might be interesting! Thank you for commenting on this.  
**

**Ersiffa Narman: Hey there! I had another one of those sleepy days today. I should really stop getting to bed so late. xD Do you get a lot of sleepy days? I bet that you're great at singing. My voice isn't all that great, so I can't sing very well. My Saturday has been as nice as it can be under the circumstances. How has yours been?  
**

**ven braken: You're a Storm fan? Well, I was thinking about maybe doing something with Team Babylon, so maybe I could write some SonicxJet and WavexStorm. I ship those two. How about you? :P  
**

**Mysterious: That's great that fanfiction gives you ideas at least! Fanfiction always gives me ideas too. Well, unless I'm having a brain freeze or writer's block, you know? Thanks for reading!  
**

**zgirl16: I'd say that you're right to think that their bond will grow stronger! I'm so glad to hear that you love this story. Really, that just means so much to me to hear that! Aw man, I'm sorry that school has started for you. Is it going well for you, I hope? And those are my favorite pairings as well! I love Vecpio, Shadmaria, Shadamy, and Mephadow! *high fives you***

* * *

**Chapter XXXII  
**

_~ Espio's POV ~  
_

The clouds prevent any sunlight from lighting up the inside of my little house and seem to engulf me in a sort of depression. I tried calling Vector this morning to see if he might be willing to spend the afternoon with Charmy and me. It completely slipped my mind that Vector has a date with Vanilla today. Although I tend to be a very selfless chameleon, I felt a little twinge of sorrow for myself when Vector turned my offer down because of his date. I shouldn't be so upset about this. There are other things that I can do today.

"Aw man!" a loud voice complains from across the room. Charmy has been playing his video game since the moment that he woke up this morning. He always considers rainy days an excuse to spend the whole day with his eyes glued to the TV screen. Making a face at his video game controller, Charmy whines, "I was so close to finishing the level!"

"You can always try again," I point out absentmindedly, not really paying much attention to Charmy's gaming tragedies.

Instead of cleaning or doing something productive like I should be doing, I'm just sitting here on one of the wooden chairs next to the kitchen table with a warm cup of tea in my hands. Even though I haven't even been outside in the cold yet, it seems to have seeped inside of my body. I feel the chills all over and am tempted to retrieve a blanket from the closet.

The video game music stops, but I'm too absorbed with my own thoughts to notice it. Suddenly, a concerned voice breaks through the silence as Charmy asks, "Espio, what's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong," I reply calmly, glancing up from my cup of tea to see Charmy frowning at me. Sighing wryly, I add, "I'm just feeling a little under the weather, that's all."

"Hm. Well, you just have to get over the weather then!" Charmy points out, his simple logic causing me to smile. He thinks for a moment and then points out excitedly, "Guess what? It's almost Halloween! I love Halloween! It's my favorite time of year. Who doesn't like getting free candy?"

Glancing over at the calendar hanging on the wall, I realize that Charmy is right. The thought of Halloween hadn't even entered my mind yet. I haven't done a single thing for Halloween the last few years. Bryce went to a wild Halloween party last year. He came home so drunk that he ended up collapsing on top of me after he had pinned me to the bed. Well, at least this Halloween ought to be better than last year's Halloween. There won't be any drunk chameleons slipping inside my bedroom after dark.

"So what are you going to be for Halloween?" Charmy asks me, trying to get me to show a little excitement for his favorite holiday.

"I'm not sure, Charmy. I might not go as anything. After all, we can't really afford Halloween costumes this year. The little bit of money that I make at the cafe goes to pay the bills, and unfortunately, Team Chaotix hasn't made much money yet. Speaking of my job at the cafe, I'm working this afternoon," I point out, standing up and trudging gloomily toward the door. "I should get going so I'm not too late. You can see if you can come up with costume ideas for yourself if you like. I'm sure that we can scrape up enough money for a costume for you."

"But I want you to dress up with me! It's no fun by myself," Charmy pouts, sending me puppy dog eyes as he adds, "_Please_ dress up with me?"

Ugh, Charmy is giving me that look again. It's that dreaded look that I'm never able to resist no matter what I do. Sighing, I reply, "I'll see what I can come up with. I suppose that I can probably create a homemade costume of some sort if it means that much to you."

"Yay! We're both going to go trick-or-treating and get lots and lots of candy!" Charmy cheers, making me wonder if the only reason why he asked me to come along with him is so that he can get double the candy. Charmy's eyes suddenly light up as another thought pops into his head and he exclaims, "I know! We should invite Vector along too!"

"If you'd like," I reply slowly before adding, "He might be spending Halloween with Vanilla though."

My own voice shocks me. The way that I said Vanilla's name was less than respectful. I need to watch my manners. Charmy immediately picks up on my change of voice and asks curiously, "You don't like Cream's mom? I think that she's nice. Cream is nicer though. Vanilla can be strict."

"All parents have to be strict, Charmy. It's for your own good," I reply. "Vanilla is fine. I don't think of her much actually. I haven't spoken to her many times. I need to go now before I end up being late for work. Have a good afternoon. Make sure you keep the doors locked and don't leave the house."

"Yeah, yeah," Charmy mumbles, rolling his eyes.

I take my scarf from around the back of my chair and wrap it securely around my neck before facing the door grimly. Preparing myself to battle with the weather, I yank the door open. A large gust of wind slaps me in the face. Head down, I pull the door shut behind me with quite a bit of effort and then lock it shut. Although it hasn't started raining yet, it looks like it's going to rain soon. The clouds are moving along swiftly in the sky and it seems to be getting grayer and grayer outside by the minute.

Wanting to hurry and beat the rain, I slink along the edge of the sidewalk as quickly as I can. Thankfully, the cafe isn't all that far from my home. I reach it five minutes later. I sigh with relief when I enter the familiar little building. There are lots of lights on inside of the cafe and the heater has been turned on, creating a warm, glowing atmosphere within the room. I go to the back of the cafe and notice Hilary, the kind hedgehog owner of the cafe, behind the counter.

"Hello, Espio," Hilary greets me, dark brown eyes focusing in on me as I walk past her. "We miss you around here."

"I'm sorry. I'm working two jobs now," I apologize politely, offering Hilary a stiff smile. She's nice enough, but talking to strangers always puts me on edge.

"That must be stressful," Hilary replies sympathetically. "I wish you luck with both jobs."

I thank Hilary for her kind words and enter the back room of the cafe to wash my hands before going back to the main room. I spot a female bat sitting at a table by herself and go over to take her order. She requests a pastry and a large mug of coffee. I promise to get her order to her as soon as possible and hurry to the back room.

I spend the next hour or so taking orders and serving people pastries and drinks. I'm usually very swift on my feet and I'm quite good at getting people their food and drink as quickly as possible. Suddenly, I hear drumming on the roof above my head as a downpour of rain is unleashed upon everyone unlucky enough to be outside. I shiver at the thought of being stuck in the torrential downpour and am instantly much more grateful to be working inside of a nice warm building.

Only moments after it starts raining cats and dogs outside, the door to the cafe goes flying open and two drenched figures appear. I start in surprise when I see Vector with none other than the lovely Miss Vanilla in his arms. They're both soaked to the bone and Vanilla's dress is sticking to her very tightly. Vector can't seem to take his eyes off of her as he brings her to a booth at one end of the cafe. I can't seem to take my eyes off of either of them. Before I'm noticed, I go to stand behind the counter and look for other people to serve in the cafe. At first, I find myself wondering why Vanilla and Vector are here, but then I remember that they were going to have their date at the beach. Clearly, today is not a good beach day.

Unfortunately for me, no new customers appear and nobody goes to take Vector's and Vanilla's orders. Hilary walks over to me and points out lightly, "I think that crocodile and the rabbit across the room there are waiting for someone to take their orders, Espio."

"Right. I'll get to them right now," I reply a little less than happily. I don't want to have to "serve" Vector. It makes me appear less than his equal. I approach the booth and am about to open my mouth, but Vector sees me and is already talking.

"Hey there, Esp! I was wonderin' if we'd see yeh here!" Vector exclaims, giving me a toothy smile.

"Yes, well, I do work here, Vector," I reply in an even voice before being forced to play my role as the waiter. Smiling stiffly, I ask, "What would you like from the menu? And what about you, miss?"

"Er...good question. Lemme see. Just get me five large bagels. I'm starvin'!" Vector announces, rubbing his stomach.

"I'd like a tall coffee please," Miss Vanilla orders politely, her hand going over and resting on top of Vector's as she adds to me, "Thank you, dear."

I try not to stare at their clasped hands and instead go to the back room to get their order prepared. I choose five of the largest bagels that I can find for Vector because he's always starving and carefully pour a tall coffee for Vanilla. After setting their order on a tray, I start back to Vector's and Vanilla's table. Now they're both looking at each other like starstruck lovers. I'm unsure about why this bothers me, but it does. My stomach twists uncomfortably and I feel like I'm staring at something that I shouldn't be seeing.

Taking a shaky breath, I approach the table and feign my polite waiter attitude as I set the bagels and coffee onto the table. Vector immediately grabs a bagel and crams the whole thing into his mouth. Crumbs fly everywhere as he exclaims, "Fast service here and great food too! I give this little place of yers a big thumbs up, Esp!"

"I don't own this place, but I'm glad that you like it," I reply. "Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

Vector starts to shake his head and then looks over at Vanilla. She's suddenly frowning at something underneath the table. Vector follows her gaze and frowns too. Giving me a sheepish look, he asks, "I hate to ask ya to do this, but could yeh get that piece of wadded up chewin' gum away from the lady's foot?"

Fuming, I make no response and drop underneath the table to pick up the piece of gum stuck to the floor. Some things I do not mind too much, but this is getting excessive. Like it or not, Vector has been sending me strange vibes lately. He treated me as a good friend - alright, perhaps better than that - and now he's suddenly shoved me under the table and is staring at Vanilla through heart-shaped glasses. I'm _not _jealous. I just don't like the way that I've been reduced to a slave who picks up crumbs from underneath his table.

Wrinkling my nose, I pluck up the piece of gum and hold it at a distance before emerging from underneath the table once again. Only because it's required of me, I ask in an irritated voice, "Is there anything else that I can do for you?"

"Nope! Thanks fer that, Esp," Vector says, spraying more bagel crumbs at me as he shoves another one into his big mouth.

"Hm," I reply disdainfully before turning and retreating to my place behind the counter. Once there, I notice Hilary sending me an odd glance. I blush, wondering if she noticed anything different about the way that I was treating Vector and Vanilla from ordinary guests. I hope not.

The afternoon continues on and I serve several more people. I try to keep my eyes off of the lovey dovey couple in the corner of the room, but I can't. Every few seconds, I find myself inconspicuously shooting glances in their direction. Vector has devoured his bagels by now and has gone back to staring at Vanilla...or should I say Vanilla's cleavage? That same sick feeling in my stomach worsens when I see the way that Vector is looking at her. I know that he just wants to get underneath her skirt, but the attention that he is giving her is making me irritated.

As I pass by the couple later on my way to serving another hedgehog, I notice that Vanilla has scooted over on her bench and is now sitting directly next to Vector. There's not even a millimeter of space between them. Feeling like I'm interrupting something intimate, I shuffle by them quickly and ignore the fact that Vector is trying to catch my eye. I start to serve the hedgehog, but he gives me an evil look.

"I didn't order a coffee! I ordered a _cappuccino_!" the hedgehog huffs at me, looking irked.

Oops. I'm so distracted by Vector and Vanilla that I'm starting to mess up orders. Sending the hedgehog an apologetic look, I say, "I'm very sorry. I'll get your cappuccino right now. Again, I apologize for the inconvenience."

Blaming myself for being so careless, I quickly turn and start off to the back room to retrieve the hedgehog's correct order. He seems as if he's in a very grouchy mood and I'd better make sure to get his correct order to him as quickly as possible. Working as fast as I can, I pour a steaming hot cappuccino into a mug and then hurry back out to the hedgehog. He's giving me the evil eye and I have a feeling that nothing I do at this point will be satisfactory to him.

As much as I should be concentrating solely on the hedgehog, something in the corner of the room catches my eye again. This time, it's Vanilla. The way that she's looking at Vector is different from before. I pause inches away from the hedgehog and narrow my eyes at her.

Suddenly, without any warning whatsoever, Vanilla leans forward and presses her lips softly to Vector's. It's just a kiss, but suddenly my world is spinning around and around. Completely forgetting what I'm doing, I accidentally let the mug slip from my hands. _ Smash!_

* * *

_Uh oh, things are not looking good for Espio! What do you think will happen next? Review please! :)  
_


	33. Update

**Hey guys! First of all, I just want to say thank you all for being such amazing readers, supporters, and friends of mine! As most of you know, I've been battling an eating disorder for close to five years now. At this point in my life, I'm going to take some time off of and spend some time with my family. I've recently become a Christian, and at this point, I'm just praying for God's will to be done. This is a bit of a scary time for me, but I believe that He has a plan for me and I hope that I have a place with Him in heaven when my time is up. Like I said earlier, you've all been the best of friends to me and I can't thank you enough for your support. I'll be praying for you all and I love you all so much. Thank you for understanding. :)**


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